22  WYOMING. 

cut  very  reasonably  considered  themselves  entitled  to 
the  territory  within  the  latitudes  above  specified,  west 
of  "the  New  Netherlands,"  and  began  to  cast  a  long 
ing  eye  upon  the  fertile  lan.ds  lying  upon  the  Dela 
ware  and  Susquehanna.  About  fifty  years  after  the 
charter  to  Lords  Say  and  Seal,  and  Brooke,  the  crown 
granted  a  charter  to  William  Penn,  which  covered  a 
portion  of  the  grant  to  Connecticut,  equal  to  one  de 
gree  of  latitude  and  five  of  longitude,  which  embraced 
the  rich  and  inviting  valley  of  Wyoming.  This  was 
the  first  ground  of  the  feuds  which  arose  between  the 
Connecticut  and  Pennsylvania  people,  and  which  oc 
casioned  much  trouble  and  distress  to  the  early  set 
tlers. 

In  1753  an  association  was  formed  in  Connecticut, 
called  "  The  Susquehanna  Company,"  for  the  purpose 
of  forming  a  settlement  in  Wyoming ;  but,  that  this 
company  might  not  come  into  conflict  with  the  native 
occupants  of  the  soil,  a  commission  was  appointed  "  to 
explore  the  country  and  conciliate  their  good- will." 
The  company  now  embraced  about  six  hundred  per 
sons,  many  of  them  men  of  wealth  and  high  respecta 
bility.  A  deputation  was  appointed  to  meet  a  great 
council  of  the  Six  Nations  at  Albany  in  1754,  and,  if 
possible,  effect  a  purchase  of  the  land.  As  the  trans 
action  was  not  secret,  Governor  Hamilton,  of  Pennsyl 
vania,  sent  to  Albany  a  deputation,  consisting  of  "John 
and  Richard  Penn,  Isaac  Norris,  and  Benjamin  Frank 
lin"  to  prevent  the  purchase  by  the  Susquehanna  Com 
pany.  Notwithstanding  this  formidable  opposition, 
strengthened  as  it  was  by  the  influence  of  Sir  William 
Johnson,  the  purchase  was  effected.  The  sum  paid 
was  "  two  thousand  pounds,  of  current  money  of  the 
province  of  New  York."  Colonel  Stone  has  given  us, 


ITS   HISTORY.  23 

in  an  Appendix  to  the  second  edition  of  his  History,  a 
"  copy  of  the  deed  of  purchase,"  duly  executed  by  the 
"chief  sachems  and  heads  of  the  Five  Nations  of  In 
dians,  called  the  Iroquois,  and  the  native  proprietors," 
&c.  Among  these  "  chief  sachems"  is  the  famous  Mo 
hawk  chief  Brant,  who  subsequently  figured  so  largely 
in  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  The  names  of  the  pur 
chasers  are  also  embraced,  owners  of  full  shares  "five 
hundred  and  thirty -four  in  number,"  and  of  "half 
shares"  "one  hundred  and  thirty-six;"  most  of  them 
from  "ye  colony  of  Connecticut,  in  New  England," 
some  "of  the  colony  of  Rhode  Island,"  some  "of  the 
government  of  Pennsylvania,"  some  "  of  the  province 
of  ye  Massachusetts  Bay,"  and  some  "  of  the  province 
of  New  York."  The  following  are  the  boundaries  of 
the  purchase : 

"  Beginning  from  the  one  and  fortieth  degree  of 
north  latitude  at  ten  miles  distance  east  of  Susquehan- 
na  River,  and  from  thence  with  a  northwardly  line  ten 
miles  east  of  the  river,  to  the  forty-second  or  begin 
ning  of  the  forty-third  degree  north  latitude,  and  so  to 
extend  west,  two  degrees  of  longitude,  one  hundred 
and  twenty  miles  south,  to  the  beginning  of  the  forty- 
second  degree,  and  from  thence  east  to  the  afore-men 
tioned  bound,  which  is  ten  miles  east  of  the  Susque- 
hanna  River." — Colonel  Stone's  History,  p.  389. 

Having  thus  procured  what  they  considered  a  valid 
title  to  the  soil,  the  Susquehanna  Company  took  pre 
paratory  steps  for  the  planting  of  a  settlement  in  Wy 
oming;  but  the  agitations  among  the  Indians,  occa 
sioned  by  "  the  French  war,"  prevented  them  from  ac 
complishing  their  purposes  until  the  year  1762,  when 
about  two  hundred  men  pushed  their  way  into  the  val 
ley,  and  commenced  clearing  farms  just  below  Mill 


ZINZENDORF    PROVIDENTIALLY   DELIVERED. 


WYOMING; 


ITS 


HISTOEY,  STIRRING  INCIDENTS,  AND 

»-- 

ROMANTIC  ADVENTURES. 


BY   GEORGE    PECK,    D.D. 


WITH     ILLUSTRATIONS. 


NEW    YORK: 

HARPER    &    BROTHERS,    PUBLISHERS, 

FRANKLIN     SQUARE. 

1858. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  fifty-eight,  by 

HARPER      &      BROTHERS, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District 
of  New  York. 


PREFACE. 


THE  present  work  is  composed  of  a  brief  history  of 
Wyoming,  followed  by  a  series  of  historic  scenes,  which 
constitute  natural  amplifications  of  the  general  outline. 
Each  story  is  a  complete  picture  in  itself,  and  yet  is  a 
necessary  part  of  the  whole.  The  plan  has  the  advan 
tage  of  presenting  independent  views  of  the  historic 
drama  from  many  different  stand-points.  Our  heroes 
not  only  reflect  the  lights  and  shades  of  their  own 
character  and  actions,  but  give  us  their  separate  ver 
sions  of  the  eventful  scenes  through  which  they  passed. 

Forty  years  since  we  first  visited  "Wyoming,  and 
from  that  period  we  have  enjoyed  rare  advantages  for 
the  study  of  its  history.  How  we  have  improved  our 
opportunities  will  appear  in  the  work  which  we  now 
present  to  the  public.  Our  object  has  been  strict  con 
formity  to  historic  truth,  and  we  have  spared  no  pains 
in  the  collection  of  facts,  and  in  their  study  and  expo 
sition. 

The  events  herein  recorded  constitute  a  part  of  the 
wonderful  history  of  the  early  development  and  fear 
ful  struggles  of  America,  and  we  believe  they  will  not 
fall  behind  any  portion  of  that  story  in  exciting  in 
terest. 

With  the  diffidence  which  a  profound  sense  of  the 
difficulties  to  be  overcome  in  the  execution  of  such  a 
work  naturally  inspires,  we  publish  the  result  of  our 

344073 


VI  PREFACE. 

labors,  hoping  that  it  may  both  interest  and  instruct 
the  reading  community.  The  work,  so  far  as  we  are 
concerned,  has  been  a  "  labor  of  love,"  and  our  desire 
is  that  it  may  inspire  in  the  reader  a  spirit  of  enlarged 
patriotism,  noble  heroism,  patient  endurance  under  se 
vere  trials,  trust  in  Providence,  and  gratitude  to  God. 

We  have  the  pleasure  to  acknowledge  the  kindness 
of  several  who  have  afforded  us  valuable  assistance 
in  our  labors.  In  addition  to  the  acknowledgments 
of  favors  which  will  be  found  in  the  body  of  the  work, 
we  would  return  thanks  to  the  Hon.  George  Bancroft 
for  the  use  of  an  important  document,  and  for  vari 
ous  suggestions ;  to  Benson  J.  Lossing,  Esq.,  for  sev 
eral  important  authorities,  and  much  valuable  aid  in 
the  illustrations ;  to  the  Hon.  George  W.  Woodward, 
and  to  the  Hon.  George  M.  Dallas,  our  minister  to  the 
court  of  St.  James,  for  the  use  of  an  important  paper 
from  the  archives  of  the  British  government ;  also  to 
several  ladies  for  fine  artistic  sketches  of  objects  and 
scenes  which  are  used  as  illustrations.  We  owe  to 
Mrs.  Eev.  Selah  Stocking,  of  Pittston,  thanks  for  orig 
inal  sketches  of  Campbell's  Ledge  and  Falling  Spring ; 
to  Mrs.  Dr.  Crane,  of  Pennington,  K.  J.,  for  a  sketch 
of  the  old  Myers  House ;  and  to  Miss  Miranda  Myers 
for  sketches  of  Toby's  Cave  and  the  Umbrella-tree. 

To  all  who  in  any  way  have  given  us  facilities,  we 
return  many  thanks,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  they 
will  find  their  reward  in  a  conviction  that  they  have 
contributed  something  to  the  object  of  giving  per 
manency  to  the  facts  of  history  which  will  be  valuable 
to  posterity,  but  which  might  otherwise  have  passed 
into  oblivion. 

GEORGE  PECK. 

SCRAXTON,  18th  April,  1858. 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter  Page 

I.    WYOMING — ITS    HISTORY 9 

II.    BRANT   AND   HIS   TORY   ASSOCIATES 71 

III.  COLONEL   MATTHIAS    HOLLENBACK 99 

IV.  INCIDENTS   AND   ADVENTURES    RELATED  BY  MRS.  MARTHA 

MYERS 133 

V.    SKETCHES    AND  INCIDENTS  COMMUNICATED  BY  MRS.  DEB 
ORAH   BEDFORD 200 

VI.    INCIDENTS    OF  THE  WARS    IN    THE    LACKAWANNA   PORTION 

OF  THE  SETTLEMENT,  RELATED  BY  MRS.  MARTHA  MARCY    220 
VII.    MRS.    SYLVIA    SEYBOLT'S     ACCOUNT    OF    THE    BATTLE   AND 

FLIGHT 231 

VIII.    THE    CAPTIVE    GIRL,  FRANCES    SLOCUM 234 

ix.  QUEEN  ESTHER'S  ROCK 284 

X.    CAPTIVITY   AND   ESCAPE    OF    THOMAS    AND    ANDREW   BEN- 
NET    AND    LEBBEUS    HAMMOND 291 

XI.    THE    CAPTURE    AND    ESCAPE    OF     JONAH    ROGERS,    MOSES 

VAN   Ct  MPEN,  PETER   PENCE,  AND   ABRAM    PIKE 304 

XII.    THE  CAPTIVITY  AND  ESCAPE    OF    GEORGE    P.  RANSOM   AND 

OTHERS 315 

XIII.  BENJAMIN  BIDLACK CAPTURE    BY   THE  PENNAMITES    AND 

SINGULAR   ESCAPE 330 

XIV.  A  VIEW  FROM    CAMPBELL'S  LEDGE,  CONTRIBUTED  BY  REV. 

L.  W.  PECK 344 

XV.    AN   INTERVIEW   WITH   RICHARD    GARDNER 351 

XVI.    PROVIDENTIAL   DELIVERANCE    CF   RUFUS    BENNET   ON   THE 

FATAL    3D  OF    JULY 362 

XVII.    NOAH  HOPKINS HIS    LIFE    SAVED   BY  A    SPIDER 369 

XVin.    THE    FRATRICIDE 371 

XIX.    THE  MONUMENT 376 

XX.    COLONEL   JOHN   JENKINS 388 

XXI.    ORIGINAL   JOURNAL   OF   CHRISTOPHER    HURLBUT      405 

XXII.    MISCELLANEOUS    ARTICLES 417 

The  Umbrella-Tree—Prospect  Rock— Harvey's  Lake— Toby's  Ed 
dy—Toby's  Cave— Seminaries. 

INDEX.  .  .  431 


WYOMING. 


L 

ITS  HISTORY. 

AMONG  the  mountains  which  lift  up  their  heads,  in 
countless  numbers  and  in  all  shapes,  between  the  Blue 
Kidge  and  the  Alleghanies,  on  the  banks  of  the  wind 
ing  Susquehanna,  lies  the  classic  vale  of  Wyoming.  It 
is  not  so  much  distinguished  for  its  magnitude  as  for 
its  beauty,  its  mineral  wealth,  and  its  historical  inci 
dents. 

WYOMING  is  a  corruption  of  the  name  given  to  the 
locality  by  the  Indians.  They  called  it  Maughwau- 
wame.  The  word  is  compounded  of  maughwau,  large, 
and  wame,  plains.  The  name,  then,  signifies  THE 
LARGE  PLAINS.  The  Delawares  pronounced  the  first 
syllable  short,  and  the  German  missionaries,  in  order 
to  come  as  near  as  possible  to  the  Indian  pronuncia 
tion,  wrote  the  name  M'chweuwami.  The  early  set 
tlers,  finding  it  difficult  to  pronounce  the  word  cor 
rectly,  spoke  it  Wauwaumie,  then  Wiawumie,  then 
Wiomic,  and,  finally,  Wyoming. 

The  valley  of  Wyoming  lies  northeast  and  south 
west,  is  twenty-one  miles  in  length,  and  an  average  of 
three  miles  in  breadth.  The  face  of  the  country  is 
considerably  diversified.  The  bottom-lands  along  the 
river  overflow  at  high  water.  The  plains  are  in  some 
places  perfectly  level,  and  in  others  rolling.  The  soil 
A2 


10  WYOMING. 

is  exceedingly  productive,  being  suited  to  all  sorts  of 
grain  and  grass. 

Two  ranges  of  mountains  hem.  in  the  valley,  the 
eastern  range  being  of  an  average  height  of  one  thou 
sand  feet,  and  the  western  about  eight  hundred.  The 
eastern  range  is  precipitous  and  generally  barren,  but 
is  strikingly  diversified  with  clefts,  ravines,  and  forests, 
and  presents  a  most  picturesque  view.  The  western 
range  is  rapidly  yielding  to  the  process  of  cultivation. 

There  are  several  charming  points  of  view  which  in 
vite  the  attention  of  the  lovers  of  the  beautiful  and  the 
grand  in  nature :  Prospect  Eock,  west  of  the  old  town 
of  Wilkesbarre,  being  the  easiest  of  access  from  the 
town,  and  the  most  frequently  visited,  is  the  most  cel 
ebrated  in  the  annals  of  travel.  From  this  point  the 
valley,  with  the  slope  of  the  west  mountain,  presents 
the  appearance  of  a  beautiful  ascending  plain,  with  the 
remotest  border  merged  in  the  clouds,  or  bounded  by 
the  blue  sky.  A  more  charming  landscape  can  not  be 
imagined.  The  view  from  the  mountain  side  west  of 
Forty  Fort  gives  you  a  more  extensive  prospect  of  the 
northern  and  southern  extremities  of  the  valley.  From 
this  point  you  have  a  fair  view  of  the  northern  gap 
through  which  the  Susquehanna  forces  its  way — of  the 
Lackawanna  Valley,  Pittston,  "Wyoming,  Wilkesbarre, 
Kingston,  Newport,  and  Jacob's  Plains.  Campbell's 
Ledge  is  becoming  a  favorite  point  of  view  for  the  ro 
mantic  and  athletic.  This  high  peak  is  situated  at  the 
head  of  the  valley.  The  ascent  is  laborious,  but  the 
sublimity  of  the  scene  amply  rewards  the  toil  of  the 
traveler. 

Torrents  gush  through  deep  gorges  in  the  mount 
ains  on  either  side,  slackening  their  speed  as  they  en 
ter  the  valley,  and  sluggishly  meander  through  the 


ITS  HISTORY.  11 

level  plains  and  flats  until  they  find  their  way  to  the 
river.  These  creeks  are  each  dignified  by  the  name 
of  some  Indian  chief  who  dwelt  on  its  banks,  and  fig 
ure  considerably  in  the  history  of  the  country. 

From  whatever  point  the  valley  is  surveyed,  the  no 
ble  Susquehanna  is  one  of  the  many  beautiful  objects 
which  present  themselves  to  the  gaze.  Such  are  its 
windings,  and  such  the  variety  which  characterizes  its 
banks,  that  you  have  no  extended  view  of  it.  It  is 
only  seen  in  sections,  varied  in  size  and  form  by  the 
position  occupied.  Now  it  hides  itself  among  the 
bowers  of  willow,  sycamore,  and  maple  which  fringe 
and  beautify  its  borders,  and  now  it  throws  open  its 
mirror  bosom  to  the  kisses  of  the  sunlight,  and  reflects 
the  forms  of  beauty  and  grandeur  of  the  surrounding 
scenery. 

"  The  Large  Plains,"  when  first  visited  by  the  whites 
for  purposes  of  settlement,  were  in  the  possession  of 
the  Delaware  Indians.  The  Delawares  had  once  been 
a  powerful  tribe,  but  had  been  subjected  by  the  Iro- 
quois,  or  the  six  confederated  nations,  and  by  them 
were  ordered  to  leave  the  country  on  the  Delaware, 
east  of  the  Blue  Eidge,  and  occupy  "Wyoming.  The 
Nanticokes  had  settled  on  the  lower  extremity  of  the 
valley,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  and  the  Shawanese 
were  located  on  the  flats  immediately  over  against 
them  on  the  west  side.  But  these  tribes  finally  re 
moved — the  Nanticokes  up  the  river,  and  the  Shawa 
nese  to  Ohio.  How  the  Delawares  became  sole  mas 
ters  of  the  valley  may  be  learned  from  the  following 
interesting  relation : 

"  While  the  warriors  of  the  Delawares  were  engaged 
upon  the  mountains  in  a  hunting  expedition,  a  num 
ber  of  squaws,  or  female  Indians,  from  Maughwau. 


12  WYOMING. 

wame,  were  gathering  wild  fruits  along  the  margin  of 
the  river,  below  the  town,  where  they  found  a  number 
of  Shawanese  squaws  and  their  children,  who  had 
crossed  the  river  in  their  canoes  upon  the  same  busi 
ness.  A  child  belonging  to  the  Shawanese  having 
taken  a  large  grasshopper,  a  quarrel  arose  among  the 
children  for  the  possession  of  it,  in  which  their  moth 
ers  soon  took  a  part,  and,  as  the  Delaware  squaws 
contended  that  the  Shawanese  had  no  privileges  upon 
that  side  of  the  river,  the  quarrel  soon  became  gen 
eral;  but  the  Dela wares,  being  the  most  numerous, 
soon  drove  the  Shawanese  to  their  canoes  and  to  their 
own  bank,  a  few  having  been  killed  on  both  sides. 
Upon  the  return  of  the  warriors,  both  tribes  prepared 
for  battle,  to  revenge  the  wrongs  which  they  consider 
ed  their  wives  had  sustained. 

"  The  Shawanese,  upon  crossing  the  river,  found  the 
Delawares  ready  to  receive  them  and  oppose  their 
landing.  A  dreadful  conflict  took  place  between  the 
Shawanese  in  their  canoes  and  the  Delawares  on  the 
bank.  At  length,  after  great  numbers  had  been  kill 
ed,  the  Shawanese  effected  a  landing,  and  a  battle  took 
place  about  a  mile  below  Maughwauwame,  in  which 
many  hundred  warriors  are  said  to  have  been  killed 
on  both  sides ;  but  the  Shawanese  were  so  much  weak 
ened  in  landing  that  they  were  not  able  to  sustain  the 
conflict,  and,  after  the  loss  of  about  half  their  tribe,  the 
remainder  were  forced  to  flee  to  their  own  side  of  the 
river,  shortly  after  which  they  abandoned  their  town 
and  removed  to  the  Ohio." — Chapman's  History  of 
Wyoming. 

The  ancient  fortifications  which  are  found  scattered 
over  the  country,  and  prove  that  it  was  once  peopled 
by  warlike  tribes  or  nations  which  had  made  consid- 


ITS  HISTORY.  13 

erable  advances  in  civilization,  were  found  in  Wyo 
ming.  One  of  these  was  situated  on  the  eastern  branch 
of  Toby's  Creek,  below  the  old  Esquire  Pierce  place, 
or  the  place  occupied  by  the  late  Pierce  Butler,  Esq. 
There  are  persons  still  living  who  recollect  this  ancient 
monument  of  an  extinguished  race,  but  every  trace  of 
it  is  now  obliterated.  Another  of  these  ancient  rel 
ics  was  situated  on  the  east  side  of  the  Susquehanna, 
opposite  Forty  Fort.  We  explored  this  ground  some 
twenty  years  since,  in  company  with  the  venerable  his 
torian  of  Wyoming,  Hon.  Charles  Miner.  At  that 
time,  a  lane  running  along  the  side  of  one  of  the  em 
bankments  had  protected  it  from  being  leveled  by  the 
plow.  It  was  then  in  a  good  state  of  preservation, 
several  feet  in  height,  with  a  corresponding  ditch. 
When  the  whites  first  visited  the  valley,  there  were 
large  pine  and  oak  trees  growing  on  the  embankments 
of  these  ancient  forts,  and  the  oldest  Indians  could 
give  no  account  of  their  origin,  or  the  purposes  which 
they  were  designed  to  serve. 

It  was  missionary  zeal  that  first  penetrated  this  se 
cluded  region. 

Count  Zinzendorf  is  believed  to  be  the  first  white 
man  who  set  his  foot  upon  The  Great  Plains.  In  1742 
he  came  with  an  interpreter,  and  erected  his  tent  near 
the  Indian  village,  and  proposed  a  talk.  He  was  a 
messenger  from  the  Great  Spirit,  sent  to  teach  the  red 
man  the  true  worship.  He  had  crossed  the  seas  upon 
this  benevolent  errand,  without  the  hope  of  earthly 
gain.  The  savages  could  not  comprehend  the  fact 
that  he  had  taken  so  much  pains  to  visit  them  with  no 
selfish  motive.  Concluding  that  it  was  the  object  of 
the  pale  faces  to  take  their  lands  from  them,  they  re 
solved  to  terminate  the  enterprise  by  their  immediate 


WYOMING. 


COUNT  ZINZENDOUF. 


destruction.  A  few  warriors  selected  for  the  purpose 
stealthily  approached  the  tent  of  the  unsuspecting 
stranger  by  night  to  accomplish  their  designs,  when  a 
strange  providence  interfered.  Peeping  through  an 
opening  of  the  tent,  they  saw  a  huge  rattlesnake  crawl 
over  the  feet  of  the  strange  visitor  without  interrupt 
ing  his  composure,  as  he  sat  upon  a  bundle  of  weeds 
engaged  in  writing.  Considering  that  he  was  protect 
ed  by  the  Great  Spirit,  they  departed  without  offering 
him  the  least  molestation.  To  this  circumstance  has 
been  attributed  the  success  of  the  Moravian  missiona 
ries  among  the  Delawares,  or  at  least  their  first  favor 
able  reception  among  that  savage  people. 

As  early  as  1750,  a  few  daring  adventurers  from 
New  England  had  crossed  the  mountains,  and  pushed 
their  way  toward  the  setting  sun,  until  from  the  heights 


ITS   HISTORY.  15 

of  the  Susquehanna  range  they  gazed  upon  the  most 
lovely  natural  landscape  which  the  eye  ever  beheld. 
The  primeval  forests  covered  the  slopes  of  the  mount 
ains,  while  the  plains  and  river-bottom  were  here  and 
there  imperfectly  cultivated  by  the  Indians,  who  as 
yet  held  undisputed  possession  of  the  country  west  of 
the  Delaware.  Wild  fruits  and  flowers  garnished  the 
hill  sides,  the  deep  ravines,  and  the  river  banks.  The 
wild  grape  hung  in  clusters  upon  the  vines,  which 
clung  to  the  branches  of  the  trees  and  waved  in  the 
breeze.  Vegetation  of  all  kinds  flourished  in  wonder 
ful  luxuriance. 

"  So  on  he  fares,  and  to  the  border  comes 
Of  Eden,  where  delicious  Paradise, 
Now  nearer,  crowns  with  her  inclosure  green, 
As  with  a  rural  mound,  the  champaign  head 
Of  a  steep  wilderness,  whose  hairy  sides 
With  thicket  overgrown,  grotesque  and  wild  : 
*     *     *     and  overhead  up  grew, 
Insuperable  height  of  loftiest  shade, 
Cedar,  and  pine,  and  fir,  and  branching  palm, 
A  sylvan  scene ;  and  as  the  ranks  ascend 
Shade  above  shade,  a  woody  theatre 
Of  stateliest  mien. 

******* 

Another  side,  umbrageous  grots  and  caves 
Of  cool  recess,  o'er  which  the  mantling  vine 
Lays  forth  her  purple  grape,  and  gently  creeps 
Luxuriant :  meanwhile  murmuring  waters  fall 
Down  the  slope  hills,  dispersed,  or  in  a  lake, 
That  to  the  fringed  bank  with  myrtle  crowned 
Her  crystal  mirror  holds,  unite  their  streams." 

MILTON. 

The  mountains  and  the  vales  were  thickly  inhabit 
ed  by  an  endless  variety  of  wild  game,  which  had  not 
yet  learned  to  fear  the  white  man  and  to  elude  his  arts ; 
the  waters  were  stored  with  an  abundance  of  fish ;  and 


IB  WYOMING. 


the  air  was  made  vocal  with  the  songs  of  the  feathered 
tribes  that  discoursed  the  sweet  music  of  nature. 

"Then,  when  of  Indian  hills  the  daylight  takes 
His  leave,  how  might  you  the  flamingo  see 
Disporting  like  a  meteor  on  the  lakes — 

And  playful  squirrel  on  his  nut-grown  tree : 
And  every  sound  of  life  was  full  of  glee, 

From  merry  mock-bird's  song  or  hum  of  men ; 
While  hearkening,  fearing  naught  their  revelry, 

The  wild  deer  arched  his  neck  from  glades,  and  then, 
Unhunted,  sought  his  woods  and  wilderness  again." 

CAMPBELL'S  Gertrude  of  Wyoming. 

These  adventurers  returned  to  the  rocky  hills  of 
Connecticut  and  Massachusetts  with  the  most  wonder 
ful  tales  of  a  sort  of  "  Paradise"  which  lay  away  among 
the  western  mountains.  To  the  visitors  themselves, 


ITS   HISTOKY.  17 

the  imagery  which,  lingered  in  their  memory  seemed 
like  a  vision  of  celestial  scenery ;  and  to  those  who 
listened  to  their  vivid  descriptions,  the  whole  seemed  a 
mere  romance.  New  parties  followed  "  to  spy  out  the 
land,"  and  they  returned  with  something  more  than  a 
mere  confirmation  of  the  reports  of  their  predecessors. 
The  whole  country  was  filled  with  wonder,  and  a  de 
sire  naturally  sprung  up  in  many  minds  to  see  the 
glories  of  the  goodly  land  for  themselves.  Plans  were 
formed  for  early  emigration  to  "  Wyoming  on  the  Sus- 
quehanna,"  and  many  hearts  beat  high,  and  many 
strong  arms  were  ready  for  the  hazards  of  the  enter 
prise. 

The  mountains  and  rivers  could  be  crossed,  the  wil 
derness  could  be  threaded,  the  wild  beasts  could  be 
driven  from  their  lairs ;  but  there  was  still  a  difficulty 
which  seemed  insuperable — it  was  the  ownership  and 
occupancy  of  the  soil  by  the  Indians.  This  obstacle 
must  be  overcome  by  negotiation,  by  purchase,  by  kind 
treatment,  if  possible ;  but  if  not,  by  the  appliances  of 
war.  The  settlement  of  Wyoming  by  the  whites  was 
a  foregone  conclusion,  and  the  only  question  about  it 
was  that  of  time.  The  country  was  visited  every  sea 
son  by  small  parties,  whose  object  was  to  test  the  state 
of  the  savage  mind,  and  to  determine  the  question  of 
the  safety  of  white  settlers  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
Indians.* 

*  In  1754,  Conrad  Weiser,  a  famous  Indian  interpreter,  and  agent 
for  the  proprietary  government  of  Pennsylvania,  on  a  visit  to  the  In 
dians  at  Shemokin,  reports:  "The  Indians  in  Susquehanna  and 
about  Shemokin  saw  some  of  the  New  England  men  that  came  as 
spies  to  Woyomock  last  fall ;  and  they  saw  them  making  drafts  of 
the  land  and  rivers,  and  are  much  offended  about  it.  They  asked 
me  about  them.  I  told  them  we  had  heard  so  much  as  that,  and 
that  we  had  intelligence  from  New  England  that  they  came  against 


18  WYOMING. 

The  conflicts  which  occurred  between  the  people  of 
Connecticut  and  Pennsylvania  in  relation  to  the  right 
of  settlement  and  jurisdiction  constitute  so  prominent 
a  part  of  the  early  history  of  "Wyoming,  that  it  will  be 
proper  here  to  notice  the  grounds  of  their  respective 
claims.  "  King  Charles  II.,  by  letters  patent,  under 
the  great  seal  of  England,  granted  a  tract  of  land  in 
America  to  William  Penn,  Esq.,  his  heirs  and  assigns, 
and  made  him  and  them  the  true  and  absolute  propri 
etors  thereof,  saving  always  to  the  crown  the  faith  and 
allegiance  of  the  said  William  Penn,  his  heirs  and  as 
signs,  and  of  the  tenants  and  inhabitants  of  the  prem 
ises,  and  saving  also  unto  the  crown  the  sovereignty  of 
the  said  country." 

The  country  was  "thereby  erected  into  a  province 
and  sovereignty,  and  called  Pennsylvania." 

"  And  thereby  granted  free,  full,  and  absolute  power 
unto  the  said  William  Penn  and  his  heirs,  and  to  his 
and  their  deputies  and  lieutenants,  for  the  good  and 
happy  government  of  the  country,  to  ordain,  make, 
enact,  and,  under  his  and  their  seals,  to  publish  any 
laws  whatsoever." — See  Pennsylvania  Archives,  vol.  ii., 
p.  100, 101. 

Under  this  charter  a  government  was  instituted, 
consisting  of  a  governor  and  council,  but  the  Penns 

the  advice  of  their  superiors  as  a  parcel  of  headstrong  men,  and  dis 
turbers  of  the  peace.  They,  the  Indians,  said  they  were  glad  to  hear 
that  neither  their  brother  Onos  nor  their  own  chief  men  had  sent 
them,  and  they  hoped  they  would  not  be  supported  by  any  English 
government  in  their  so  doing." — Letter  to  the  Governor :  Colonial  Rec 
ords,  vol.  vi.,  p.  35. 

This  was  the  first  attempt  which  was  made  to  sketch  a  rude  map 
of  the  country  preparatory  to  the  formation  of  a  settlement.  It  is 
believed  by  their  descendants  that  the  elder  John  Jenkins  and  Thom 
as  Bennet  were  in  this  company. 


ITS  HISTORY.  19 

owned  the  soil  in  fee.  Their  policy  was  to  lay  out  all 
the  best  lands  into  manors,  and  settle  them  by  tenants 
under  leases.  Thus  some  of  the  most  objectionable 
features  of  the  old  feudal  system  were  established  in 
Pennsylvania.  The  proprietaries,  of  course,  were  op 
posed  to  emigrations  from  other  states  to  their  lands, 
except  to  such  of  them  as  were  worthless.  Settlers 
were,  consequently,  often  driven  off  by  force,  and  their 
houses  burned. 

In  1754,  Governor  Hamilton,  of  Pennsylvania,  wrote 
to  Governor  Wolcott,  of  Connecticut,  remonstrating 
against  the  scheme  of  some  of  the  Connecticut  people 
to  settle  Wyoming.  At  the  same  time,  he  offered  them 
lands  "  in  the  western  parts  of  this  province,"  or  to 
use  his  good  offices  to  procure  them  the  privilege  of 
settling  in  "Virginia." 

Governor  "Wolcott  made  a  very  cautious  but  perti 
nent  answer,  taking  special  pains  to  urge  that  wherev 
er  settlers  were  permitted  to  take  possession  of  lands 
in  Pennsylvania,  they  should  be  made  "  freeholders." 
He  suggested  that,  in  the  event  of  war  with  the  French, 
"the  resolution  of  the  soldier  will  be  very  much,  in 
fighting  for  his  country,  according  to  his  interest  in  it." 
"  If  I  must  go  out,"  says  he,  "  let  me  have  an  army  of 
freeholders  or  freeholders'  sons."  He  then  proceeds 
to  give  the  result  of  his  experience  in  the  case  of  "  the 
siege  of  Louisburg,"  and  then  continues : 

"Whenever  the  war  commences  with  you,  I  think 
a  small  army  of  such  men,  well  appointed  and  disci 
plined,  will  soon  convince  the  French  of  their  error  in 
provoking  and  insulting  of  you ;  I  think  a  few  of  them 
will  be  more  than  a  match  for  a  multitude  of  their 
plebs,  brought  up  in  slavery,  and  who  have  nothing  to 
fight  for  of  their  own. 


20  WYOMING. 

"  This  brings  to  mind  a  story  a  gentleman  told  me, 
that  he  went  in  to  see  his  negro  man,  then  dying,  and 
seeing  him  just  gone,  said  to  him,  *  Cuffy,  you  are  just 
going;  are  you  not  sorry?'  'No,'  says  the  fellow; 
'master,  the  loss  won't  be  mine.'  " 

The  Pennamite  and  Yankee  wars  were  not  merely 
a  conflict  between  the  proprietaries  of  Pennsylvania 
and  the  Susquehanna  Company  for  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  country — it  was  not  a  mere  question  of  boundary, 
but  a  question  between  landlord  and  tenantry.  The 
question  was  one  in  which  the  tenantry  of  Pennsyl 
vania  generally  were  interested,  and,  consequently,  the 
cause  of  the  proprietaries  was  never  popular  with  that 
class.  "Wyoming  was  the  battle-field  where  the  ques 
tion  was  to  be  settled  whether  the  people  who  culti 
vated  the  soil  should  be  serfs  or  freeholders.  "We  do 
not  pretend  that  this  was  the  open  ostensible  issue 
made,  but  it  is  beyond  a  doubt  that  this  question  lay 
at  the  bottom  of  the  controversy,  and  had  much  to  do 
with  its  progress  and  termination.  If  the  laborers  and 
producers  were  to  be  made  freeholders,  it  could  make 
but  little  difference  whence  they  came ;  but  if  they 
were  to  be  mere  tenants,  it  would  be  somewhat  import 
ant  that  they  should  not  have  been  educated  in  the 
spirit  of  freedom  and  independence,  but  should  have 
the  views  and  feelings  of  servants  rather  than  those  of 
citizens.  The  New  England  people  might  be  allowed 
to  settle  in  the  Alleghanies,  to  constitute  a  sort  of 
breakwater  against  the  overflowing  of  the  French  arms, 
but  it  would  never  do  to  give  them  possession  of  the 
fertile  plains  and  valleys  along  the  Delaware  and  Sus 
quehanna.  The  Yankees  were  not  likely  to  be  the 
pliant  tools  suited  to  the  objects  and  policy  of  the  aris 
tocratic  proprietaries.  They  had  trouble  enough  with 


ITS   HISTORY,  21 

those  whom  they  had  trained  to  their  hand,  and  the 
tide  of  Yankee  emigration  which  was  setting  in  from 
the  east  bid  fair  to  result  in  more  general  discontent,  if 
not  in  revolution.  Hence  the  diplomacy  of  the  pro 
prietaries  had  for  its  object,  not  the  settlement  of  the 
northern  boundary  of  the  province,  but  preventing  em 
igration  from  the  east;  and,  as  will  be  seen  as  we 
proceed,  the  quasi  civil,  but  really  military  proceedings 
with  the  settlers  was  not  designed  to  secure  their  rec 
ognition  of  the  civil  jurisdiction  of  the  proprietaries,  but 
nolens  volens  to  expel  the  intruders  from  the  country. 

The  charter  granted  to  "The  Plymouth  Company" 
by  James  I.  covered  the  territory  "  from  the  fortieth 
to  the  forty-sixth  degree  of  north  latitude,  extending 
from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.11  This  charter 
was  granted  under  the  great  seal  of  England,  on  No 
vember  3, 1620,  to  the  Duke  of  Lenox,  the  Marquis  of 
Buckingham,  the  Earl  of  Arundel  and  Warwick,  and 
their  associates,  "for  the  planting,  ruling,  ordering,  and 
governing  of  New  England,  in  America."  The  char 
ter  of  Connecticut  was  derived  from  the  Plymouth 
Company,  of  which  the  Earl  of  Warwick  was  pres 
ident.  This  grant  was  made  in  March,  1621,  to  Vis 
count  Say  and  Seal,  Lord  Brooke,  and  their  associates. 
It  covered  the  country  west  of  Connecticut  "  to  the 
extent  of  its  breadth,  being  about  one  degree  of  lati 
tude  from  sea  to  sea"  This  grant  was  confirmed  by 
the  king  the  same  year,  and  also  in  1662.  "  The  New 
Netherlands,"  or  New  York,  being  then  a  Dutch  pos 
session,  was  excepted  in  these  grants  under  the  gen 
eral  limitation  of  such  portions  of  territory  as  were 
"  then  possessed  or  inhabited  by  any  other  Christian 

A  i/  t/ 

prince  or  state." — See  Col.  Stone's  History  of  Wyoming. 
By  the  terms  of  this  charter,  the  people  of  Connecti- 


22  WYOMING. 

cut  very  reasonably  considered  themselves  entitled  to 
the  territory  within  the  latitudes  above  specified,  west 
of  "the  New  Netherlands,"  and  began  to  cast  a  long 
ing  eye  upon  the  fertile  lan.ds  lying  upon  the  Dela 
ware  and  Susquehanna.  About  fifty  years  after  the 
charter  to  Lords  Say  and  Seal,  and  Brooke,  the  crown 
granted  a  charter  to  "William  Penn,  which  covered  a 
portion  of  the  grant  to  Connecticut,  equal  to  one  de 
gree  of  latitude  and  five  of  longitude,  which  embraced 
the  rich  and  inviting  valley  of  Wyoming.  This  was 
the  first  ground  of  the  feuds  which  arose  between  the 
Connecticut  and  Pennsylvania  people,  and  which  oc 
casioned  much  trouble  and  distress  to  the  early  set 
tlers. 

In  1753  an  association  was  formed  in  Connecticut, 
called  "  The  Susquehanna  Company,"  for  the  purpose 
of  forming  a  settlement  in  Wyoming ;  but,  that  this 
company  might  not  come  into  conflict  with  the  native 
occupants  of  the  soil,  a  commission  was  appointed  "  to 
explore  the  country  and  conciliate  their  good- will." 
The  company  now  embraced  about  six  hundred  per 
sons,  many  of  them  men  of  wealth  and  high  respecta 
bility.  A  deputation  was  appointed  to  meet  a  great 
council  of  the  Six  Nations  at  Albany  in  1754,  and,  if 
possible,  effect  a  purchase  of  the  land.  As  the  trans 
action  was  not  secret,  Governor  Hamilton,  of  Pennsyl 
vania,  sent  to  Albany  a  deputation,  consisting  of  "John 
and  Richard  Penn,  Isaac  Norris,  and  Benjamin  Frank 
lin"  to  prevent  the  purchase  by  the  Susquehanna  Com 
pany.  Notwithstanding  this  formidable  opposition, 
strengthened  as  it  was  by  the  influence  of  Sir  William 
Johnson,  the  purchase  was  effected.  The  sum  paid 
was  "  two  thousand  pounds,  of  current  money  of  the 
province  of  New  York."  Colonel  Stone  has  given  us, 


ITS   HISTORY.  23 

in  an  Appendix  to  the  second  edition  of  his  History,  a 
"  copy  of  the  deed  of  purchase,"  duly  executed  by  the 
"chief  sachems  and  heads  of  the  Five  Nations  of  In 
dians,  called  the  Iroquois,  and  the  native  proprietors," 
&c.  Among  these  "  chief  sachems"  is  the  famous  Mo 
hawk  chief  Brant,  who  subsequently  figured  so  largely 
in  the  war  of  the  Kevolution.  The  names  of  the  pur 
chasers  are  also  embraced,  owners  of  full  shares  "five 
hundred  and  thirty -four  in  number,"  and  of  "half 
shares"  "one  hundred  and  thirty-six;"  most  of  them 
from  "ye  colony  of  Connecticut,  in  New  England," 
some  "of  the  colony  of  Khode  Island,"  some  "of  the 
government  of  Pennsylvania,"  some  "  of  the  province 
of  ye  Massachusetts  Bay,"  and  some  "  of  the  province 
of  New  York."  The  following  are  the  boundaries  of 
the  purchase : 

"  Beginning  from  the  one  and  fortieth  degree  of 
north  latitude  at  ten  miles  distance  east  of  Susquehan- 
na  Eiver,  and  from  thence  with  a  northwardly  line  ten 
miles  east  of  the  river,  to  the  forty -second  or  begin 
ning  of  the  forty-third  degree  north  latitude,  and  so  to 
extend  west,  two  degrees  of  longitude,  one  hundred 
and  twenty  miles  south,  to  the  beginning  of  the  forty- 
second  degree,  and  from  thence  east  to  the  afore-men 
tioned  bound,  which  is  ten  miles  east  of  the  Susque- 
hanna  Eiver." — Colonel  Stone's  History,  p.  389. 

Having  thus  procured  what  they  considered  a  valid 
title  to  the  soil,  the  Susquehanna  Company  took  pre 
paratory  steps  for  the  planting  of  a  settlement  in  Wy 
oming;  but  the  agitations  among  the  Indians,  occa 
sioned  by  "the  French  war,"  prevented  them  from  ac 
complishing  their  purposes  until  the  year  1762,  when 
about  two  hundred  men  pushed  their  way  into  the  val 
ley,  and  commenced  clearing  farms  just  below  Mill 


24  WYOMING. 

Creek,  and  at  a  sufficient  distance  from  the  Indian 
town,  which  was  situated  on  the  flats  below  the  pres 
ent  town  of  Wilkesbarre.  They  felled  the  timber,  and 
constructed  huts,  and,  before  winter  set  in,  had  sown 
extensive  fields  of  wheat.  They  secured  their  imple 
ments,  and  returned  to  Connecticut  to  winter.  In  the 
spring  they  returned  with  their  families,  cattle,  furni 
ture,  &c.,  but  little  meditating  the  dreadful  fate  which 
awaited  them. 

"  The  season  had  been  favorable ;  their  various  crops 
on  those  fertile  plains  had  proved  abundant,  and  they 
were  looking  forward  with  hope  to  scenes  of  prosperity 
and  happiness ;  but  suddenly,  without  the  least  warn 
ing,  on  the  15th  of  October,  a  large  party  of  savages 
raised  the  war-whoop,  and  attacked  them  with  fury. 
Unprepared  for  resistance,  about  twenty  men  fell  and 
were  scalped ;  the  residue,  men,  women,  and  children, 
fled,  in  wild  disorder,  to  the  mountains.  Language 
can  not  describe  the  sufferings  of  the  fugitives  as  they 
traversed  the  wilderness,  destitute  of  food  or  clothing, 
on  their  way  to  their  former  homes." — Miner's  History 
of  Wyoming,  p.  54. 

After  this  massacre,  the  Indians,  anticipating  a  mil 
itary  movement  against  them  on  the  part  of  the  gov 
ernor  of  Pennsylvania,  left  the  valley,  the  Christian 
portion  of  them  removing  east  to  the  Moravian  town, 
Gnadenhutten,  and  the  others  north  to  Tioga.  Six 
years  now  intervened  before  the  Connecticut  people 
made  another  attempt  to  settle  Wyoming.  But  in  the 
mean  time  "the  proprietaries  of  Pennsylvania"  availed 
themselves  of  an  Indian  council  assembled  at  Fort 
Stanwix  in  1768,  and  purchased  the  disputed  territory 
from  some  of  the  chiefs.  A  deputation  of  four  chiefs 
from  the  Six  Nations  had  been  sent  to  Hartford  in 


ITS   HISTORY.  25 

1763  to  disclaim  the  sale  made  to  the  Susquehanna 
Company,  and  in  the  talk  of  the  speaker,  he  asserted 
that  the  Six  Nations  knew  nothing  of  the  sale  of  this 
land,  and  furthermore  remarked,  "What  little  we  have 
left  we  intend  to  keep  for  ourselves."  This  was  a  mere 
ruse,  as  is  evident  from  their  selling  the  same  land  five 
years  subsequently  to  the  proprietaries  of  Pennsylva 
nia.  They  were,  in  fact,  ready  to  sell  land  whenever 
they  could  find  purchasers;  and  as  to  any  conflict 
which  might  afterward  arise  among  rival  claimants, 
that  was  not  their  look  out.  After  all,  the  poor  In 
dians  were  not  so  much  in  fault  as  were  the  designing 
white  men,  who  had  interests  to  serve  by  involving 
them  in  improper  and  contradictory  acts. 

This  fair  valley  was  next  to  be  made  the  scene  of 
civil  war ;  and  in  contending  for  the  rich  prize,  the 
blood  of  one  white  man  was  to  be  spilled  by  the  hand 
of  another  white  man.  The  parties  had  exhausted 
their  diplomatic  skill;  each  had  sent  deputations  to 
the  mother  country,  and  in  turn  obtained  the  most  re 
spectable  legal  decisions  in  their  favor.  Nothing 
seemed  left  to  them  but  to  maintain  their  claims  by 
force. 

The  Susquehanna  Company  sent  a  body  of  forty 
pioneers  into  the  valley  in  February,  1769,  to  be  fol 
lowed  by  two  hundred  more  in  the  spring.  But  the 
proprietaries  of  Pennsylvania,  anticipating  the  move 
ment,  had  leased  the  valley  for  seven  years  to  Charles 
Stuart,  Amos  Ogden,  and  John  Jennings,  on  condition 
that  they  should  establish  a  trading-house  for  the  ac 
commodation  of  the  Indians,  and  adopt  the  necessary 
measures  for  defending  themselves,  and  those  who 
might  settle  under  their  lease.  These  men,  with  a 
small  party,  had  proceeded  to  Wyoming,  and  fortified 

B 


26  WYOMING. 

themselves  in  a  block-house,  where  the  forty  Yankees 
found  them  upon  their  arrival. 

A  series  of  conflicts  now  ensued,  which  we  can  not 
here  detail,  but  which  were  characterized  by  the  usual 
circumstances  and  elements  of  war  upon  the  largest 
scale,  and  attended  with  incidents  and  adventures  of 
rare  interest,  many  of  which  will  be  found  in  the  fol 
lowing  sketches.  Erecting  fortifications,  investments, 
escalades,  capitulations,  surprises,  ambuscades,  battles, 
marches,  countermarches,  retreats,  taking  prisoners,  and 
violating  pledges  for  the  security  of  property,  are  all 
duly  chronicled  in  the  histories.  During  this  period 
the  Yankees  were  three  times  driven  from  the  valley, 
and  obliged  to  thread  their  way,  with  their  wives  and 
children,  through  an  unbroken  wilderness  of  two  hund 
red  miles,  back  to  their  former  homes.  But  they  as 
often  rallied  and  returned  to  the  charge  with  accumu 
lated  numbers,  until,  finally,  they  were  able  to  keep 
possession  of  the  prize.  The  proprietaries  were  unpop 
ular  even  in  Pennsylvania,  and  it  became  impossible 
for  them,  even  with  the  aid  of  all  the  industry  and 
skill  of  Captain  Ogden,  to  raise  a  sufficient  force  finally 
to  dispossess  the  Yankees,  until  the  rupture  between 
Great  Britain  and  her  colonies  directed  the  attention 
of  all  parties  to  the  common  defense  of  the  country, 
and,  for  the  time  being,  put  a  period  to  the  civil  war. 

The  object  of  the  Connecticut  people  had  been  the 
establishment  of  an  independent  colony,  and  they  had, 
accordingly,  petitioned  the  parent  government  to  this 
effect.  But,  as  this  object  could  not  be  secured  with 
out  much  delay,  and  as  the  Legislature  of  Connecticut 
was  cautious  of  assuming  any  responsibility  which 
would  involve  the  state  in  the  quarrel,  the  Susque- 
hanna  Company  met  at  Hartford,  June  2,  1773,  and 


ITS  HISTORY.  27 

adopted  a  provisional  plan  of  government,  on  truly  re 
publican  principles,  and  every  way  worthy  of  the  heads 
and  hearts  of  the  best  statesmen  of  the  age.* 

Under  this  form  of  government  the  people  lived  in 
great  harmony  and  prosperity,  and  the  colony  rapidly 
increased  in  numbers.  In  the  mean  time,  the  Legisla 
tive  Assembly  of  Connecticut  made  an  effort  to  procure 
a  settlement  of  the  difficulty,  but  Governor  Penn  closed 
his  ears  to  all  propositions,  and  even  refused  to  recog 
nize  the  deputation  sent  from  Connecticut.  Upon  this 
the  assembly  made  up  a  case,  and  transmitted  it  to  En 
gland  for  the  legal  opinions  of  the  ablest  counsel. 

"  This  case  was  submitted  to  Edward,  afterward  Lord 
Thurlow,  Alexander  Wedderburn,  Eichard  Jackson, 
and  J.  Dunning,  all  famous  for  their  learning  in  the 
law,  who  gave  a  united  opinion  in  favor  of  the  com 
pany.  Thus  fortified,  the  General  Assembly  of  Con 
necticut  took  higher  ground,  and,  perceiving  how  great 
ly  the  colony  was  flourishing,  in  October,  1773,  they 
passed  a  resolution  asserting  their  claim  to  the  juris 
diction  of  the  territory,  and  their  determination,  in 
some  proper  way,  to  support  the  claim." — Col.  Stone. 

The  following  year  Wyoming  was  constituted  a 
town,  by  the  name  of  Westmoreland,  and  connected 
with  Litchfield  county,  and  a  census  taken  at  the  close 
of  the  year  showed  that  the  town  numbered  one  thou 
sand  nine  hundred  and  twenty-two  inhabitants. 

The  great  events  of  1775  seriously  affected  the  in 
habitants  of  Westmoreland.  The  Indians  committed 
some  outrages  within  the  limits  of  the  town,  and,  though 
they  made  hollow  professions  of  a  pacific  disposition, 
were  evidently  preparing  for  war.  Several  families 
from  the  north,  who  were  hostile  to  the  American 

*  For  which,  see  Mr.  Miner's  History,  p.  146-149. 


28  WYOMING. 

cause,  came  into  the  settlement,  who,  with  good  reason, 
were  considered  bad  neighbors.  The  following  notes 
of  the  town  meetings  will  show  the  spirit  of  the  people 
in  taking  incipient  steps  for  the  common  defense : 

"At  a  town  meeting,  held  March  10,  Voted,  that 
the  first  man  that  shall  make  fifty  weight  of  good  salt 
petre  in  this  town,  shall  be  entitled  to  a  bounty  of  ten 
pounds,  lawful  money,  to  be  paid  out  of  the  town  treas 
ury. 

"Voted,  that  the  selectmen  be  directed  to  dispose 
of  the  grain  now  in  the  hands  of  the  treasurer,  or  col 
lector,  in  such  way  as  to  obtain  powder  and  lead  to  the 
value  of  forty  pounds,  lawful  money,  if  they  can  do  the 
same." 

uAt  a  town  meeting  legally  warned  and  held,  in 
Westmoreland,  Wilkesbarre  District,  August  24, 1776, 

"  Colonel  Butler  was  chosen  moderator  for  the  work 
of  the  day. 

"Voted,  as  the  opinion  of  this  meeting,  that  it  now 
becomes  necessary  for  the  inhabitants  of  this  town  to 
erect  suitable  forts,  as  a  defense  against  our  common 
enemy." 

A  regiment  of  militia  having  been  established,  the 
meeting  voted  that  "the  three  field  officers  should  be 
a  committee  to  fix  on  the  sites  of  the  forts,  lay  them 
out,  and  give  directions  how  they  should  be  built." 
Then  was  adopted  what  Mr.  Miner  calls  "the  follow 
ing  beautiful  vote,  which,"  says  he,  "we  leave,  in  its 
simplicity,  to  speak  its  own  eulogium." 

"  That  the  above  said  committee  do  recommend  it 
to  the  people  to  proceed  forthwith  in  building  said 
forts,  without  either  fee  or  reward  from  ye  town." 

In  November  of  this  memorable  year  (1776),  West 
moreland  was,  by  the  Legislative  Council  of  Connecti- 


ITS   HISTORY.  29 

cut,  erected  into  a  county,  with  a  complete  civil  and 
military  organization.  Congress  also  ordered  that 
"two  companies,  on  the  Continental  establishment,  be 
raised  in  the  town  of  Westmoreland,  and  stationed  in 
proper  places  for  the  defense  of  the  inhabitants  of  said 
town,  and  posts  adjacent,  till  farther  orders  from  Con 
gress."  The  companies,  consisting  of  eighty-two  men 
each,  were  organized,  and  officers  appointed.  But  when 
the  British  took  possession  of  New  York,  "Washington 
crossed  the  Delaware,  and  Congress  were  taking  meas 
ures  to  retire  from  Philadelphia  to  Baltimore,  the  two 
companies  were  ordered  to  join  General  Washington 
' '  with  all  possible  expedition. ' '  This  order  was  prompt 
ly  obeyed,  which  took  nearly  all  the  able-bodied  men 
and  arms  from  the  settlement. 

In  the  summer  of  1777  the  Six  Nations  were  brought 
into  the  field  as  auxiliaries  of  the  British  forces,  and 
commenced  their  operations  in  their  own  peculiar  mode 
of  warfare  all  along  the  frontier.  Wyoming  was  pe 
culiarly  exposed,  being  situated  at  the  distance  of  sixty 
miles  from  the  white  settlements,  east  and  south,  and 
their  strength  having  been  drawn  away  by  the  emer 
gencies  of  the  war ;  for,  in  addition  to  the  two  compa 
nies  above  referred  to,  further  enlistments  were  made, 
in  all  amounting  to  some  three  hundred.  Application 
was  made  to  Congress  for  aid,  but  without  effect.  The 
helpless  females  sent  to  the  army  the  most  pressing 
calls  to  their  sons,  husbands,  fathers,  and  brothers,  who 
constituted  the  Westmoreland  companies,  to  hasten  to 
their  relief,  and  the  men  begged  for  the  privilege  of  ful 
filling  the  purposes  of  their  enlistment — "  the  defense 
of  the  inhabitants  of  said  town."  But  Congress  and 
Connecticut  were  both  deaf  to  every  entreaty.  All 
that  was  done  was  an  order  passed  by  Congress  that 


30  WYOMING. 

"  one  full  company  of  foot  be  raised  in  the  town  of  West 
moreland,  for  the  defense  of  the  said  town,"  and  "  that 
the  said  company  find  their  own  arms,  ammunition,  and 
blankets!"  This  amounted  to  nothing,  as  it  did  not  in 
crease  the  force  of  the  settlement.  The  commissioned 
officers  resigned,  and,  together  with  twenty  or  thirty 
men  who  obtained  leave,  or  went  without  leave,  re 
turned  to  the  settlement  to  share  the  common  peril. 
The  Indians  made  a  great  show  of  peace ;  but  a  drunk 
en  Indian  in  a  revel — one  of  a  company  of  spies  who 
came  upon  a  pretense  of  negotiation — let  out  the  secret 
of  a  meditated  onslaught  upon  the  settlement.  This, 
together  with  the  suspicious  movements  of  the  Tory 
settlers,  several  families  of  whom  were  situated  at  the 
head  of  the  valley,  and  seemed  to  be  acting  the  part 
of  spies,  created  no  inconsiderable  alarm.  The  settlers 
had  erected,  on  each  side  of  the  river,  several  forts, 
some  of  them  consisting  of  logs  planted  in  the  ground, 
and  standing  about  fourteen  feet  high,  and  others  mere 
log  pens,  or  block-houses,  with  loop-holes.  The  former 
were  provided  with  log  huts,  in  which  the  women  and 
children  might  find  shelter  in  cases  of  danger  from  the 
enemy.  The  principal  fort  on  the  west  side  of  the 
river  was  called  Forty  Fort,  constructed  by  the  forty 
pioneers  who  came  into  the  valley  in  the  winter  of 
1769,  and  enlarged  and  strengthened  in  1776,  situated 
two  miles  above  Wilkesbarre.  In  the  arrangements 
for  the  defense  of  the  settlement,  as  will  be  seen,  by  the 
following,  the  women  acted  a  conspicuous  part : 

"  Justice  and  gratitude  demand  a  tribute  to  the  praise 
worthy  spirit  of  the  wives  and  daughters  of  Wyoming. 
While  their  husbands  and  fathers  were  on  public  duty, 
they  cheerfully  assumed  a  large  portion  of  the  labor 
which  females  could  do.  They  assisted  to  plant,  made 


ITS   HISTORY.  31 

hay,  husked  and  garnered  the  corn.  As  the  settlement 
was  mainly  dependent  on  its  own  resources  for  powder, 
Mr.  Hollenback  caused  to  be  brought  up  the  river  a 
pounder ;  and  the  women  took  up  their  floors,  dug  out 
the  earth,  put  it  in  casks,  and  run  water  through  it  (as 
ashes  are  leached) ;  then  took  ashes  in  another  cask, 
and  made  ley ;  mixed  the  water  from  the  earth  with 
weak  ley,  boiled  it,  set  it  to  cool,  and  the  saltpetre  rose 
to  the  top.  Charcoal  and  sulphur  were  then  used,  and 
powder  produced  for  the  public  defense." — Miner's 
History,  p.  212. 

We  need  add  nothing  by  way  of  completing  the 
picture.  While  fathers  and  sons,  grandfathers  and 
grandsons,  were  scouring  up  their  old  muskets,  moth 
ers,  daughters,  and  grandmothers  were  busily  employed 
in  manufacturing  powder! 

NORTHERN  BORDER  WARS. 

In  order  to  a  more  perfect  understanding  of  the  ori 
gin  and  character  of  the  disastrous  war  waged  upon 
the  settlers  in  Wyoming,  we  will  direct  the  attention 
of  the  reader  to  the  course  of  events  upon  the  north 
ern  border. 

Sir  William  Johnson  came  into  the  valley  of  the 
Mohawk  when  he  was  a  young  man,  about  forty  years 
previous  to  the  Kevolutionary  war.  The  emergencies 
of  the  times  gave  him  an  opportunity  for  the  develop 
ment  of  his  talents.  He  entered  the  provincial  army, 
and  gained  a  victory  over  the  French  at  Lake  George 
in  1755,  and  this  event  made  his  fortune.  He  was 
made  a  baronet,  and  appointed  Superintendent  of  In 
dian  Affairs  for  the  northern  provinces.  He  resided 
at  Fort  Johnson,  near  the  village  of  Amsterdam,  for 
nearly  twenty  years,  after  which  he  removed  to  John- 


32  WYOMING. 

son  Hall,  near  Johnstown,  where  he  died  in  1774.  He 
left  one  son — Sir  John  Johnson — and  two  daughters. 
One  of  his  daughters  was  married  to  Colonel  Daniel 
Glaus,  and  the  other  to  Colonel  Guy  Johnson,  a  dis 
tant  relative. 

After  the  death  of  Sir  William,  Guy  Johnson  was 
appointed  his  successor  as  Superintendent  of  Indian 
Affairs.  There  were  under  his  superintendency  at 
this  time  130,000  Indians,  of  whom  50,420  were  war 
riors.  The  Six  Nations  numbered  about  10,000,  about 
4600  of  whom  were  trained  to  the  business  of  war. 

In  1772,  the  county  of  Tryon — named  after  the  then 
governor  of  the  province  of  New  York — was  organ 
ized,  and  it  embraced  the  section  of  the  state  west  of  a 
line  running  north  and  south  through  the  centre  of 
the  present  county  of  Schoharie.  It  contained  a  pop 
ulation  of  about  10,000,  and  Johnstown  was  the  seat 
of  justice. 

The  Johnson  family  exerted  a  great  influence  over 
the  people  in  Tryon  County,  and  had  acquired  almost 
unbounded  control  of  the  Indian  mind  of  the  Six  Na 
tions.  When  the  troubles  broke  out  between  the  moth 
er  country  and  her  colonies,  the  Johnsons  espoused  the 
royal  cause.  Their  influence  over  the  Iroquois,  or  Six 
Nations,  was  used  to  attach  them  to  the  same  cause, 
and  they  often  led  them  on  in  their  incursions  upon 
the  settlements  in  the  valley  of  the  Mohawk.  Guy 
Johnson  left  Johnson  Hall  in  1775,  passing  through 
the  country  of  the  Six  Nations,  finally  making  his 
head-quarters  at  Montreal.  Brant  and  his  Mohawks, 
together  with  the  Butlers,  followed  Colonel  Johnson. 
Sir  John  Johnson  was  made  a  prisoner,  by  order  of 
General  Schuyler,  in  January,  1776,  and  taken  to  Fish- 
kill,  where  he  was  released  on  parole.  In  the  May  fol- 


ITS   HISTOKY.  33 

lowing  he  broke  his  parole,  and  subsequently  com 
manded  a  regiment  of  refugees,  known  in  border  war 
fare  as  "Johnson's  Greens." 

The  last  of  April,  1777,  Colonel  Gansevoort,  with  the 
third  regiment  of  the  New  York  line  of  state  troops, 
was  ordered  to  Fort  Schuyler.*  Before  the  fortifica 
tion  was  completed,  it  was  invested  by  Colonel  St. 
Leger.  This  division  of  the  British  forces  was  collected 
at  Oswego,  brought  their  munitions  of  war  and  stores 
up  Wood  Creek,  and  crossed  the  portage  to  the  Mo 
hawk.  General  Herkimer,  with  a  regiment  of  militia, 
in  attempting  to  relieve  Fort  Schuyler,  was  met  by  a 
considerable  force  of  Indians  and  Tories,  under  the 
command  of  Brant  and  Butler,  at  Oriskany,  where  he 
was  repulsed,  and  received  a  wound  which  occasioned 
his  death.  The  patriots  retreated  down  the  river,  and 
St.  Leger  pressed  the  siege.  He  raised  batteries,  and 
made  many  efforts  to  reduce  the  fortress  by  cannon 
shot,  but  failed  to  effect  a  breach.  He  then  resorted  to 
threats  of  savage  barbarity,  should  the  Indians  be  pro 
voked  by  obstinate  resistance.  'In  such  case,  he  said, 
it  would  not  be  possible  for  him  to  restrain  them  from 
their  accustomed  modes  of  redress.  All  this  failed  to 
move  the  brave  men  in  the  fort,  who  were  then  nearly 
out  of  provisions. 

Colonel  Willett  and  Lieutenant  Stockwell  left  the 
fort  by  night,  and,  eluding  the  vigilance  of  the  enemy, 

*  This  fort  was  situated  where  the  village  of  Home  now  stands. 
The  French  had  built  a  fort  here  called  Fort  Stanwix,  which  was 
now  reconstructed.  The  name  of  the  new  fortification  was  given  it 
in  honor  of  General  Schuyler.  This  fort  must  be  distinguished  from 
the  old  fort  by  the  same  name,  built,  during  the  French  war,  on  the 
point  of  high  ground  now  in  the  northeastern  portion  of  the  city  of 
Utica,  and  called  by  the  same  name,  after  an  uncle  of  General 
Schuyler. 

B2 


34  WYOMING. 

passed  down  the  Mohawk  for  the  purpose  of  reassem 
bling  the  militia  and  returning  for  the  relief  of  the 
fort.  This  was  a  daring  undertaking,  but  was  so  won 
derfully  successful  that  the  Indians,  believing  Colonel 
Willett  to  have  been  assisted  by  some  superhuman 
power,  called  him  "the  devil."  The  distressing  events 
of  the  encounter  at  Oriskany  had  created  a  great  sensa 
tion  in  the  country,  and  called  for  decisive  measures. 
General  Schuyler  dispatched  Generals  Earned  and  Ar 
nold  to  attack  St.  Leger  and  raise  the  siege  of  Fort 
Schuyler. 

Colonels  Johnson,  Claus,  and  Butler  had  issued  a 
proclamation  designed  to  intimidate  the  people  of  Try- 
on  County  into  submission,  and  to  procure  enlistments 
into  the  king's  army,  and  "Walter  N.  Butler,  son  of 
Colonel  John  Butler,  had  been  sent  on  the  delicate 
business  of  circulating  this  proclamation,  and  using  his 
personal  influence  with  those  whom  he  might  find  un 
decided.  He  visited  the  German  Flats,  in  the  neigh 
borhood  of  Fort  Dayton,  and  collected  a  company  of 
Tories  at  the  house  of  one  Shoemaker,  who  had  been 
a  civil  officer  under  the  king.  Colonel  Weston,  at 
Fort  Dayton,  learning  of  the  gathering,  dispatched  a 
detachment  of  troops,  who  came  upon  them  by  sur 
prise  just  as  Butler  was  in  the  midst  of  a  harangue, 
and  made  them  all  prisoners.  Butler  was  tried  by  a 
court-martial  for  a  spy,  and  condemned  to  be  hung,  but 
at  the  intercession  of  several  officers,  who  had  formerly 
been  his  personal  friends  and  associates,  he  received  a 
reprieve,  and  was  sent  a  prisoner  to  Albany.  After 
several  months'  confinement  he  pretended  to  be  sick, 
and,  as  a  mark  of  favor,  he  was  quartered  in  the  house 
of  a  Tory,  with  a  single  soldier  to  guard  him.  But 
ler  and  his  host  managed  to  make  the  soldier  drunk, 


ITS   HISTORY.  35 

and,  sick  as  he  was,  he  escaped  on  a  fleet  horse,  and 
reached  Niagara. 

Among  those  captured  with  Butler  was  a  singular 
character  by  the  name  of  Honyost  Schuyler.  Almost 
an  idiot,  he  still  had  streaks  of  shrewdness  which  gave 
him  no  little  distinction  among  the  Indians  and  his 
half  -  civilized  neighbors.  His  mother  and  brother 
Nicholas  lived  at  Little  Falls.  Like  Butler,  he  was 
condemned  to  death.  His  mother  and  brother  hasten 
ed  to  Fort  Dayton  to  implore  General  Arnold  to  spare 
his  life.  Arnold  for  a  time  would  not  listen  to  their 
intercession,  and  the  miserable  woman  became  almost 
frantic.  At  length  General  Arnold  proposed  terms 
upon  which  the  life  of  the  poor  fellow  should  be 
spared.  He  must  immediately  go  to  the  camp  of  St. 
Leger,  and  make  such  representations  to  him  of  the 
forces  which  were  coming  up  against  him  as  would  in 
duce  him  to  raise  the  siege.  The  proposition  was  glad 
ly  accepted,  and  the  old  woman  offered  to  be  held  a 
hostage  for  the  faithful  performance  of  the  commis 
sion.  General  Arnold  refused  to  receive  the  mother 
in  that  capacity,  but  took  the  other  son,  who  was  put 
in  confinement,  while  Honyost  took  his  departure.  He 
took  with  him  a  friendly  Oneida  Indian,  who  was  fully 
inducted  into  the  secrets  of  the  mission,  and  greatly 
aided  him  in  its  prosecution.  Before  his  departure 
several  balls  were  shot  through  his  clothes,  to  help  him 
make  out  his  story,  and  the  Indian  took  a  different 
route,  and  fell  into  the  camp  at  about  the  same  time 
with  the  principal  in  the  enterprise. 

Honyost  arrived  at  St.  Leger's  camp,  and  began  im 
mediately  to  give  an  account  of  his  wonderful  escape, 
and  of  Arnold's  army.  When  asked  as  to  the  number 
of  troops  which  Arnold  had  under  his  command,  he 


86  WYOMING. 

shook  his  head  mysteriously,  and  pointed  to  the  leaves 
of  the  trees  to  intimate  that  the  army  was  large — be- 
vond  his  power  of  enumeration.  The  Oneida  had  in 
his  way  met  with  several  others  of  his  tribe,  who  offer 
ed  him  their  co-operation.  Honyost's  story  began  to 
fly  through  the  camp  like  wildfire,  when  lo !  the  story 
of  the  near  approach  of  a  great  army  was  told  by  In 
dians  who  fell  in  from  different  directions.  A  panic 
had  really  commenced  before  St.  Leger  knew  it.  He 
summoned  Honyost  before  him,  who  gave  a  most 
frightful  account  of  his  escape.  He  had  been  con 
demned  to  death,  and,  on  his  way  to  the  gallows,  he 
had  availed  himself  of  the  carelessness  of  the  guard, 
and  fled.  In  the  mean  time,  a  volley  of  musketry  was 
fired  after  him.  Then,  pointing  to  the  holes  in  his 
coat,  he  showed  the  colonel  and  his  officers  how  one 
ball  had  just  grazed  his  side,  another  his  shoulder,  and 
another  his  thigh ;  but  he  had  been  miraculously  pre 
served.  As  to  the  Indians,  they  also  gave  to  St.  Leger 
the  most  exaggerated  accounts  of  the  strength  and 
numbers  of  the  army  of  General  Arnold.  St.  Leger 
called  a  council  of  war,  and,  while  the  officers  were 
deliberating  upon  the  course  to  be  taken,  the  Indian 
forces  under  Brant  commenced  preparations  to  depart. 
St.  Leger  used  every  effort  to  retain  them,  but  to  no 
purpose.  They  had  suffered  severely  in  the  battle  of 
Oriskany,  and,  as  yet,  had  been  wholly  disappointed 
in  the  promised  plunder  of  the  Yankee  fort,  and  they 
were  in  the  moody  state  of  mind,  when  they  were  vis 
ited  by  Honyost  and  the  Oneidas,  which  was  entirely 
favorable  to  the  success  of  these  emissaries  of  the  Yan 
kee  commander.  Indeed,  the  Indians  did  what  they 
could  to  make  the  retreat  a  flight. 

An  altercation  taking  place  between  Colonel  St. 


ITS   HISTORY.  37 

Leger  and  Sir  John  Johnson,  each  accusing  the  other 
of  remissness  in  duty,  in  the  midst  of  the  feud  two 
cunning  sachems  set  up  a  shout,  "They  are  coming! 
they  are  coming  /"  when  the  two  colonels  closed  their 
angry  dispute  and  took  to  flight.  Their  men  were 
equally  quick  on  foot ;  throwing  away  their  guns  and 
knapsacks,  they  ran  for  their  lives. 

Honyost  Schuyler  ran  with  the  British  and  Indians 
until  an  opportunity  occurred  for  him  to  escape,  when 
he  returned  to  Fort  Schuyler,  and  gave  Colonel  Gan- 
sevoort  his  first  information  of  General  Arnold's  ap 
proach,  and  of  the  flight  of  the  besiegers.  Gansevoort 
pursued  the  retreating  army,  and  took  prisoners  and  a 
large  amount  of  spoil.  Such  was  the  panic  of  the 
royal  army  that  they  left  their  tents  standing;  their 
provisions,  artillery,  ammunition,  and  all  their  camp 
equipage  were  left  to  the  Yankee  forces.  The  Indians, 
in  the  mean  time,  enraged  with  disappointment,  robbed 
the  officers,  plundered  several  boats  on  Wood  Creek, 
and  actually  murdered  stragglers  belonging  to  the 
royal  army  for  the  sake  of  plundering  their  persons. 
A  just  retribution  this  for  employing  those  heartless 
savages  in  a  war  upon  the  people  of  the  frontier  settle 
ments. — See  Campbell's  History  of  Tryon  County,  and 
Stone's  Border  Wars. 

We  will  here  leave  the  history  of  the.  war  upon  the 
northern  border,  and  return  to  the  events  of  the  period 
in  Wyoming.  We  shall  have  occasion  to  refer  to  the 
narrative  which  we  have  here  given  as  we  proceed  with 
the  progress  of  events  upon  the  Susquehanna,  and  as 
we  give  sketches  of  characters  which  figured  in  the 
predatory  wars  which  were  waged  by  the  British  pro 
vincial  troops  and  her  savage  allies,  the  Six  Nations, 
both  in  Tryon  County,  New  York,  and  in  Wyoming, 
upon  the  Susquehanna. 


38  WYOMING. 

On  the  29th  or  30th  of  June,  1778,  Colonel  John 
Butler,  with  about  four  hundred  British  provincials, 
partly  made  up  of  Tories,  together  with  six  or  seven 
hundred  Indians,  entered  the  head  of  the  valley,  and 
took  possession  of  Fort  Wintermoot  without  opposition. 
On  that  morning  eight  men  and  a  boy,  who  had  gone 
from  Fort  Jenkins  to  their  work  with  their  arms,  three 
miles  above,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy ;  five  of 
the  men  were  killed,  and  three  taken  prisoners,  the 
boy  escaping  by  throwing  himself  into  the  river,  and 
hiding  in  a  clump  of  willows. 

Colonel  Zebulon  Butler,  who  was  a  Continental  offi 
cer,  knowing  the  perilous  condition  of  the  people,  and 
desirous  to  give  his  personal  aid  in  any  way  possible, 
had  obtained  leave  to  visit  the  valley,  and  now,  by 
common  consent,  assumed  the  command  of  the  little 
army.  The  whole  consisted  of  "two  hundred  and 
thirty  enrolled  men,  and  seventy  old  people,  boys,  civil 
magistrates,  and  other  volunteers,"  the  whole  embrac 
ing  six  companies,  which  were  mustered  at  Forty  Fort, 
where  the  families  of  the  settlers  on  the  east  side  of 
the  river  had  taken  refuge.  "  Indian  Butler,"  as  he 
was  called,  summoned  the  Connecticut  people  to  sur 
render  Forty  Fort  and  the  valley.  A  council  of  war 
was  called  on  the  3d  of  July,  and  though  it  was  the 
opinion  of  Colonel  Butler,  Colonel  Denison,  and  Lieu 
tenant  Colonel  Dorrance,  and  others,  that  "  a  little  de 
lay  would  be  best,"  in  hopes  of  the  arrival  of  re-enforce 
ments,  which  it  was  thought  might  be  on  their  way, 
yet  a  large  majority  were  for  marching  at  once  upon 
the  enemy  and  giving  them  battle.  Colonel  Butler 
mounted  his  horse,  saying,  "  I  tell  you  we  go  into  great 
danger,  but  I  can  go  as  far  as  any  of  you,"  and  "  the 
column,  consisting  of  about  three  hundred  men,  olcl 


ITS  HISTORY.  39 

men,  and  boys,  marched  from  the  fort,"  at  about  three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  with  drums  beating  and  colors 
flying.  The  devoted  little  band  marched  up  the  plain, 
with  the  river  on  the  right  and  a  marsh  upon  the  left, 
until  they  reached  Fort  Wintermoot,  which  was  on  fire 
— fired  to  make  the  impression  upon  the  minds  of  the 
patriots  that  the  enemy  was  retiring  from  the  valley. 

"  Colonel  Z.  Butler,  on  approaching  the  enemy,  sent 
forward  Captains  Eansom  and  Durkee,  Lieutenants 
Ross  and  Wells,  as  officers  whose  skill  he  most  relied 
on,  to  select  the  spot,  and  mark  off  the  ground  on 
which  to  form  the  order  of  battle.  On  coming  up,  the 
column  displayed  to  the  left,  and  under  those  officers 
every  company  took  its  station,  and  then  advanced  in 
line  to  the  proper  position,  where  it  halted,  the  right 
resting  on  the  steep  bank  noted,  the  left  extending 
across  the  gravel  flat  to  a  morass,  thick  with  timber 
and  brush,  that  separated  the  bottom-land  from  the 
mountain.  Yellow  and  pitch-pine  trees,  with  oak 
shrubs,  were  scattered  all  over  the  plain.  On  the 
American  right  was  Captain  Bidlack's  company.  Next 
was  Captain  Hewitt's,  Daniel  Gore  being  one  of  his 
lieutenants.  On  the  extreme  left  was  Captain  "Whit- 
tlesey's.  Colonel  Butler,  supported  by  Major  John 
Garrett,  commanded  the  right  wing.  Colonel  Denison, 
supported  by  Lieutenant  Colonel  George  Dorrance, 
commanded  the  left.  Such  was  the  ground,  and  such 
the  order  of  battle.  Every  thing  was  judiciously  dis 
posed,  and  constructed  in  a  strictly  military  and  pru 
dent  manner.  Captains  Durkee  and  Ransom,  as  expe 
rienced  officers,  in  whom  great  confidence  was  placed, 
were  stationed,  Durkee  with  Bidlack  on  the  right  wing, 
Ransom  with  Whittlesey  on  the  left.  Colonel  But 
ler  made  a  very  brief  address  just  before  he  ordered 


40  WYOMING. 

the  column  to  display.  '  Men,  yonder  is  the  enemy. 
The  fate  of  the  Hardings  tells  us  what  we  have  to  ex 
pect  if  defeated.  We  come  out  to  fight,  not  only  for 
liberty,  but  for  life  itself,  and,  what  is  dearer,  to  pre 
serve  our  homes  from  conflagration,  our  women  and 
children  from  the  tomahawk.  Stand  firm  the  first 
shock,  and  the  Indians  will  give  way.  Every  man  to 
his  duty.' 

"The  column  had  marched  up  the  road  running 
near  the  bank  on  which  our  right  rested.  On  its  dis 
play,  as  Denison  led  off  his  men,  he  repeated  the  ex 
pression  of  Colonel  Butler,  '  Be  firm ;  every  thing  de 
pends  on  resisting  the  first  shock.' 

"About  four  in  the  afternoon  the  battle  began; 
Colonel  Z.  Butler  ordered  his  men  to  fire,  and  at  each 
discharge  to  advance  a  step.  Along  the  whole  line 
the  discharges  were  rapid  and  steady.  It  was  evident 
that  on  the  more  open  ground  the  Yankees  were  doing 
most  execution.  As  our  men  advanced,  pouring  in 
their  platoon  fires  with  great  vivacity,  the  British  line 
gave  way,  in  spite  of  all  their  officers'  efforts  to  prevent 
it.  The  Indian  flanking  party  on  our  right  kept  up 
from  their  hiding-places  a  galling  fire.  Lieutenant 
Daniel  Gore  received  a  ball  through  the  left  arm. 
; Captain  Durkee,'  said  he,  'look  sharp  for  the  Indians 
in  those  bushes.'  Captain  Durkee  stepped  to  the  bank 
to  look,  preparatory  to  making  a  charge  and  dislodging 
them,  when  he  fell.  On  the  British  Butler's  right,  his 
Indian  warriors  were  sharply  engaged.  They  seemed 
to  be  divided  into  six  bands,  for  a  yell  would  be  raised 
at  one  end  of  their  line,  taken  up,  and  carried  through, 
six  distinct  bodies  appearing  at  each  time  to  repeat  the 
cry.  As  the  battle  waxed  warmer,  that  fearful  yell  was 
renewed  again  and  again  with  more  and  more  spirit. 


ITS  HISTORY.  41 

It  appeared  to  be  at  once  their  animating  shout  and 
their  signal  of  communication.  As  several  fell  near 
Colonel  Dorrance,  one  of  his  men  gave  way :  '  Stand 
to  your  work,  sir,'  said  he,  firmly,  but  coolly,  and  the 
soldier  resumed  his  place. 

"  For  half  an  hour  a  hot  fire  had  been  given  and 
sustained,  when  the  vastly  superior  numbers  of  the 
enemy  began  to  develop  their  power.  The  Indians 
had  thrown  into  the  swamp  a  large  force,  which  now 
completely  outflanked  our  left.  It  was  impossible  it 
should  be  otherwise :  that  wing  was  thrown  into  con 
fusion.  Colonel  Denison  gave  orders  that  the  com 
pany  of  Whittlesey  should  wheel  back,  so  as  to  form 
an  angle  with  the  main  line,  and  thus  present  his  front, 
instead  of  flank,  to  the  enemy.  The  difficulty  of  per 
forming  evolutions  by  the  bravest  militia  on  the  field 
under  a  hot  fire  is  well  known.  On  the  attempt,  the 
savages  rushed  in  with  horrid  yells.  Some  had  mis 
taken  the  order  to  fall  back  as  one  to  retreat,  and  that 
word,  that  fatal  word,  ran  along  the  line.  Utter  con 
fusion  now  prevailed  on  the  left.  Seeing  the  disorder, 
and  his  own  men  beginning  to  give  way,  Colonel  Z. 
Butler  threw  himself  between  the  fires  of  the  opposing 
ranks,  and  rode  up  and  down  the  line  in  the  most  reck 
less  exposure.  '  Don't  leave  me,  my  children,  and  the 
victory  is  ours.'  But  it  was  too  late. 

"Every  captain  that  led  a  company  into  action  was 
slain,  and  in  every  instance  fell  on  or  near  the  line. 
As  was  said  of  Bidlack,  so  of  Hewitt,  Whittlesey,  and 
the  others:  'they  died  at  the  head  of  their  men.'  They 
fought  bravely ;  every  man  and  officer  did  his  duty ; 
but  they  were  overpowered  by  threefold  their  force. 
In  point  of  numbers  the  enemy  was  overwhelmingly 
superior. ' ' — Miner's  History. 


42  WYOMING. 

It  was  a  dreadful  hour.  The  few  old  men  who 
were  left  in  the  fort,  and  the  women  and  children, 
lined  the  bank  of  the  river  with  throbbing  hearts,  lis 
tening  to  the  noise  of  the  battle ;  and  as  the  firing  be 
came  more  scattering,  and  advanced  down  the  plain 
toward  the  fort,  the  fearful  reality  of  a  defeat  was  but 
too  plainly  indicated.  "  The  boys  are  beat — they  are 
retreating — they  will  be  all  cut  to  pieces !"  exclaimed 
one  who  had  been  pacing  the  bank,  and  catching  ev 
ery  indication  borne  upon  the  breeze  from  the  scene 
of  action. 

A  portion  of  the  numerous,  strange,  and  fearful 
scenes  which  followed  are  upon  record,  and  many  of 
them  are  still  in  the  recollection  of  a  few  survivors,  for 
which  we  must  refer  the  reader  to  the  historians.  Mr. 
Miner  says,  "  About  one  hundred  and  sixty  of  the 
Connecticut  people  were  killed  that  day,  and  one  hund 
red  and  forty  escaped.  The  loss  of  the  enemy  was 
never  known;  probably  from  forty  to  eighty  fell." 
According  to  the  best  information  which  we  have  been 
able  to  gain,  more  than  two  hundred  of  the  patriots 
fell  in  this  fearful  conflict,  while  about  sixty  of  the 
British  and  Indians  were  slain.  Many  were  first  made 
prisoners,  and  then  massacred  in  the  most  cruel  and 
barbarous  manner  by  the  savages.  Colonels  Butler 
and  Denison,  being  mounted,  first  came  into  Forty 
Fort,  and  confirmed  the  apprehensions  of  the  poor  de 
fenseless  people,  then  waiting  in  a  most  fearful  state 
of  anxiety  and  suspense.  They  sat  down  by  a  table 
in  Thomas  Bennet's  cabin,  and  adjusted  the  terms  of 
capitulation  which  were  to  be  proposed  to  the  enemy. 
Colonel  Butler  then  crossed  over  to  Wilkesbarre,  and 
the  next  day,  throwing  a  feather-bed  across  his  horse, 
and  seating  his  wife  upon  the  animal  behind  him,  left 


ITS  HISTORY.  43 

the  valley.  He  was  a  brave  officer,  and  having  dis 
tinguished  himself  in  several  gallant  enterprises  in  the 
Kevolutionary  struggle,  had  reasons  enough  for  not 
wishing  to  be  made  a  prisoner  of  war.  At  nightfall 
the  fugitives  came  into  the  fort,  exhausted  with  the 
toils  and  terrors  of  the  day.  But  oh,  how  many  hus 
bands  and  sons  came  not !  The  sadness  of  that  night 
will  never  be  adequately  sketched. 

The  people  in  the  fort  at  Wilkesbarre,  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river,  early  on  the  4th  commenced  their 
flight,  but  in  such  haste  as  not  to  furnish  themselves 
with  provisions  for  a  long  and  toilsome  journey  through 
the  wilderness.  A  large  number  of  women  and  chil 
dren,  with  a  few  men,  took  the  old  war-path  toward  the 
Delaware,  some  perishing  on  the  way  through  fatigue 
and  hunger  in  a  dense  pine  forest,  which  has  ever 
since  been  called  "The  Shades  of  Death."  The  few 
regular  soldiers  who  had  escaped,  knowing  that  they, 
if  taken,  would  be  doomed  to  exemplary  punishment, 
made  a  hasty  escape,  under  the  orders  of  Colonel  Butler. 

On  the  evening  of  the  fatal  3d,  Captain  John  Frank 
lin  arrived  at  Forty  Fort,  with  a  company  of  militia 
from  Huntington  and  Salem,  which  gave  a  little 
strength  to  the  remnant  which  were  left.  On  the 
morning  of  the  4th,  Colonel  John  Butler  summoned 
Colonel  Denison  to  surrender  Forty  Fort,  inviting  him 
to  his  head-quarters  to  agree  upon  the  terms.  After 
some  negotiation,  the  following  articles  of  capitulation 
were  duly  executed: 

"Westmoreland,  July  4th,  1778. 

"CAPITULATION  AGREEMENT  —  Made  and  com 
pleted  between  John  Butler,  in  behalf  of  his  majesty 
King  George  the  Third,  and  Colonel  Nathan  Denison 
of  the  United  States  of  America : 


44  WYOMING. 

"  ART.  I.  It  is  agreed  that  the  settlement  lay  down 
their  arms,  and  their  garrison  be  demolished. 

"  ART.  II.  That  the  inhabitants  occupy  their  farms 
peaceably,  and  the  lives  of  the  inhabitants  be  preserved 
entire  and  unhurt. 

"  ART.  III.  That  the  Continental  stores  are  to  be 
given  up. 

"  ART.  IY.  That  Colonel  Butler  will  use  his  utmost 
influence  that  the  private  property  of  the  inhabitants 
shall  be  preserved  entire  to  them. 

"  ART.  Y.  That  the  prisoners  in  Forty  Fort  be  de 
livered  up. 

"ART.  VI.  That  the  property  taken  from  the  peo 
ple  called  Tories  be  made  good  ;  and  that  they  remain 
in  peaceable  possession  of  their  farms,  and  unmolested 
in  a  free  trade  throughout  this  settlement. 

"  ART.  VII.  That  the  inhabitants  which  Colonel 
Denison  capitulates  for,  together  with  himself,  do  not 
take  up  arms  during  this  contest. 

(Signed),  "JOHN  BUTLER, 

DENISON." 


Accordingly,  on  the  5th  of  July,  the  gates  of  the 
fort  were  thrown  open,  and  Butler,  at  the  head  of  his 
rangers,  and  a  Seneca  chief  by  the  name  of  G  -  n,  at 
the  head  of  the  Indians,  marched  in.  The  arms  of  the 
men  were  stacked,  and  given  as  a  present  by  Butler  to 
the  Indians,  with  these  words:  "See  what  a  present 
the  Yankees  have  made  you."  The  Indians  went 
about  sneakingly  peeping  into  the  doors  of  the  cabins, 
but  for  that  day  molested  no  one.  On  the  next  day, 
however,  they  began  to  plunder  the  people.  Colonel 
Denison  remained  in  Mr.  Bennet's  cabin,  a  place  for 
merly  occupied  as  a  horse-shed.  When  Butler  came 


ITS  HISTORY.  45 

into  the  fort,  Colonel  Denison  sent  for  him,  and  re 
monstrated  with  him  upon  the  conduct  of  the  Indians, 
alleging  that  it  was  a  breach  of  a  most  solemn  en 
gagement.  Butler  said,  "  My  men  shall  not  molest  the 
people ;  I  will  put  a  stop  to  it."  But  he  was  no  soon 
er  gone  than  the  plundering  was  resumed.  Colonel 
Denison  again  sent  for  Butler,  and  again  he  came  into 
the  shed  and  gave  assurances  that  "the  plundering 
should  cease."  -Toward  night  a  company  of  Indians 
came  in,  some  of  them  drunk,  and  commenced  ran 
sacking  the  houses  and  rifling  them  of  their  movables. 
Colonel  Denison  had  another  conversation  with  But 
ler,  who  now  said,  "  To  tell  you  the  truth,  I  can  do 
nothing  with  them."  Colonel  Denison  chided  him  se 
verely,  but,  waving  his  hand,  he  repeated  the  same 
words,  and  finally  left  the  fort  no  more  to  return. 

After  the  lapse  of  two  weeks  from  the  day  of  the 
battle,  it  was  rumored  that  the  Tories  and  Indians  had 
again  entered  the  valley,  and  would  probably  kill  all 
that  remained  of  the  inhabitants.  The  people  then  all 
left  the  fort,  some  going  down  the  river  in  canoes,  and 
others  taking  the  path  "through  the  swamp"  toStrouds- 
burg.  Thus  this  beautiful  valley  was  deserted  by  its 
inhabitants,  with  the  exception  of  those  who  lay  bleach 
ing  upon  the  plain,  unconscious  of  what  transpired, 
and  beyond  the  reach  of  further  wrongs. 

We  have  not  given  the  details  of  the  savage  cruel 
ties  which  are  found  in  other  histories.  But  there  are 
two  well-authenticated  instances  of  the  diabolical  spirit 
of  the  Tories  which  we  shall  recite.  We  do  this  not 
only  to  show  what  kind  of  men  embraced  the  royal 
cause,  but  as  a  fearful  illustration  of  the  dreadful  havoc 
made  by  the  spirit  of  war  upon  all  the  better  feelings 
of  humanity,  and  all  the  ties  of  kindred. 


46  WYOMING. 


MONOCASY   ISLAND,   FROM  THE  EAST  HANK   OF  TUB  SUSQUEIIANNA. 

"  A  short  distance  below  the  battle-ground  there  is 
a  large  island  in  the  river  called  '  Monockonock  Island.' 
Several  of  the  settlers,  while  the  battle  and  pursuit  con 
tinued,  succeeded  in  swimming  to  this  island,  where 
they  concealed  themselves  among  the  logs  and  brush 
wood  upon  it.  Their  arms  had  been  thrown  away  in 
their  flight  previous  to  their  entering  the  river,  so  that 
they  were  in  a  manner  defenseless.  Two  of  them,  in 
particular,  were  concealed  near  and  in  sight  of  each 
other.  While  in  this  situation,  they  observed  several 
of  the  enemy,  who  had  pursued  and  fired  at  them  while 
they  were  swimming  the  river,  preparing  to  follow 
them  to  the  island  with  their  guns.  On  reaching  the 
island,  they  immediately  wiped  their  guns  and  loaded 
them.  One  of  them,  with  his  loaded  gun,  soon  passed 
close  by  one  of  these  men  who  lay  concealed  from  his 
view,  and  was  immediately  recognized  by  him  to  be 
the  brother  of  his  companion  who  was  concealed  near 
him,  but  who,  being  a  Tory,  had  joined  the  enemy. 
He  passed  slowly  along,  carefully  examining  every 
covert,  and  directly  perceived  his  brother  in  his  place 
of  concealment.  He  suddenly  stopped  and  said,  '  So 


ITS   HISTORY.  47 

it  is  you,  is  it  ?'  His  brother,  finding  that  he  was  dis 
covered,  immediately  came  forward  a  few  steps,  and 
falling  on  his  knees,  begged  him  to  spare  his  life,  prom 
ising  to  live  with  him  and  serve  him,  and  even  to  be 
his  slave  as  long  as  he  lived,  if  he  would  only  spare 
his  life.  lAtt  this  is  mighty  good]  replied  the  savage- 
hearted  brother  of  the  supplicating  man,  '  but  you  are  a 
d****d  rebel;1  and  deliberately  presenting  his  rifle, 
shot  him  dead  upon  the  spot.  The  other  settler  made 
his  escape  from  the  island,  and  having  related  this  fact, 
the  Tory  brother  thought  it  prudent  to  accompany  the 
British  troops  on  their  return  to  Canada." — Chapman's 
History,  p.  127,  128. 

"  This  tale  is  too  horrible  for  belief;  but  a  survivor 
of  the  battle,  a  Mr.  Baldwin,  whose  name  will  occur 
again,  confirmed  its  truth  to  the  writer  with  his  own 
lips.  He  knew  the  brothers  well,  and  in  August,  1839, 
declared  the  statement  to  be  true." — Col.  Stone's  His 
tory,  p.  215. 

Elijah  Shoemaker  was  seen  wading  in  the  river,  not 
knowing  how  to  swim,  by  one  Windecker,  a  Tory,  who 
had  been  treated  by  Shoemaker  with  the  kindness  with 
which  a  father  would  treat  a  son.  Windecker  said  to 
him,  "Come  out,  Shoemaker."  "I  am  afraid,"  said 
Shoemaker,  "  you  will  give  me  up  to  the  Indians." 
"  No,"  said  Windecker,  "  I  will  save  you ;  they  sha'n't 
hurt  you."  But  no  sooner  did  Shoemaker  come  with 
in  his  reach,  than  the  perfidious  wretch  dashed  his  tom 
ahawk  into  his  head,  and  set  his  body  afloat.  The 
body  was  taken  up  at  the  fort,  and  Mrs.  Shoemaker, 
with  a  child  in  her  arms — the  late  Col.  Elijah  Shoe 
maker,  of  Kingston — came  down  to  the  water's  edge 
to  be  agonized  with  a  sight  of  the  mangled  corpse  of 
her  husband.  The  body  was  buried  in  the  fort  before 


48  WYOMING. 

the  capitulation.  The  circumstances  of  Shoemaker's 
death  were  related  by  Esquire  Carpenter  and  Anning 
Owen,  who  were  concealed  under  a  tree-top  which  lay 
out  in  the  river. 

These  instances  of  horrid  brutality  defy  all  prece 
dent.  The  priestess  of  the  hellish  orgies  of  "Bloody 
Bock,"  had  she  witnessed  the  above  spectacle,  would 
have  been  ashamed  of  the  demons  concerned  in  the 
transaction.  She,  in  the  true  spirit  of  savage  warfare, 
was  taking  sweet  vengeance  for  the  loss  of  a  brother 
or  an  intimate  friend.  But  these  furies  imbrued,  their 
hands  in  the  blood  of  friend  and  brother  !  Alas  for 
poor  humanity,  of  what  a  height  of  corruption  and 
wickedness  is  it  capable ! 

"  Indian  Butler"  soon  made  his  exit  from  the  val 
ley.  The  following  is  a  picture  of  the  departure : 

"  With  Butler  a  large  portion  of  the  Indians  with 
drew,  and  their  march  presented  a  picture  at  once  mel 
ancholy  and  ludicrous.  Squaws,  to  a  considerable  num 
ber,  brought  up  the  rear,  a  belt  of  scalps  stretched  on 
small  hoops  around  the  waist  for  a  girdle,  having  on, 
some  four,  some  six,  and  even  more,  dresses  of  chints 
or  silk,  one  over  the  other ;  being  mounted  astride  on 
horses  (of  course  all  stolen),  and  on  their  heads  three, 
four,  or  five  bonnets,  one  within  another,  worn  wrong 
side  before." — Miner's  History,  p.  237. 

Mr.  Miner  presents  two  charges  against  Colonel  John 
Butler,  which  will  lie  against  his  name  to  the  end  of 
time,  and  in  mitigation  of  which  there  is  not  a  reliev 
ing  circumstance.  The  first  is  "his  position — accept 
ing  command,  lending  his  name,  and  associating  with 
those  bloodthirsty  and  unprincipled  savages  who  were 
placed  under  his  orders."  His  confession,  after  the 
capitulation,  that  he  could  "do  nothing  with  them," 


ITS  HISTORY.  49 

brands  him  with  infamy.  How  came  he  to  lead  on  a 
band  of  murderous  savages  whom  he  knew  he  could 
not  control,  to  an  assault  upon  a  defenseless  settle 
ment?  But  "the  deepest  stain  on  the  character  of 
Butler,  next  to  his  taking  the  command  of  such  a  horde 
of  merciless  and  ungovernable  wretches,  arises  out  of 
the  fact  that  but  two  prisoners  were  taken  and  saved 
at  the  time  of  the  battle."  It  is  altogether  likely  that 
the  greatest  number  who  fell  were  cruelly  massacred 
upon  the  retreat ;  and  it  is  certain  that  many  of  them 
were  first  made  prisoners,  and  then  tortured  and  butch 
ered  in  cold  blood.  That  his  own  men  took  part  in 
the  pursuit  and  butchery  on  the  day  of  the  battle  is 
historically  true,  and  that  he  tried  to  prevent  the  sub 
sequent  massacres  there  is  no  evidence. 

COLONEL  ZEBULON  BUTLER'S  REPORT  OF  THE  BATTLE 

TO  THE  BOARD  OF  WAR. 
"  Gnadenhutten,  Penn  Township,  July  10th,  1778. 

"  HONORED  SIR, — On  my  arrival  at  Westmoreland, 
which  was  only  four  days  after  I  left  Yorktown,  I 
found  there  was  a  large  body  of  the  enemy  advancing 
on  that  settlement.  On  the  1st  of  July  we  mustered 
the  militia,  and  marched  toward  them  by  the  river 
above  the  settlement — found  and  killed  two  Indians 
at  a  place  where,  the  day  before,  they  had  murdered 
nine  men  engaged  in  hoeing  corn.  "We  found  some 
canoes,  etc.,  but,  finding  no  men  above  their  main 
body,  it  was  judged  prudent  to  return ;  and  as  every 
man  had  to  go  to  his  own  house  for  his  provisions,  we 
could  not  muster  again  till  the  3d  of  July.  In  the 
mean  time  the  enemy  had  got  possession  of  two  forts, 
one  of  which  we  had  reason  to  believe  was  designed  for 
them,  though  they  burned  them  both.  The  inhabitants 

C 


50  WYOMING. 

had  some  forts  for  the  security  of  their  women  and 
children,  extending  about  ten  miles  on  the  river,  and 
too  many  men  would  stay  in  them  to  take  care  of  them ; 
but,  after  collecting  about  three  hundred  of  the  most 
spirited  of  them,  including  Captain  Hewitt's  company, 
I  held  a  council  with  the  officers,  who  all  agreed  that 
it  was  best  to  attack  the  enemy  before  they  got  any 
farther.  "We  accordingly  marched,  found  their  situa 
tion,  formed  a  front  of  the  same  extension  of  the  ene 
my's,  and  attacked  from  right  to  left  at  the  same  time. 
Our  men  stood  the  fire  well  for  three  or  four  shots, 
till  some  part  of  the  enemy  gave  way ;  but,  unfortu 
nately  for  us,  through  some  mistake,  the  word  retreat 
was  understood  from  some  officer  on  the  left,  which 
took  so  quick  that  it  was  not  in  the  power  of  the  offi 
cers  to  form  them  again,  though  I  believe,  if  they  had 
stood  three  minutes  longer,  the  enemy  would  have 
been  beaten.  The  utmost  pains  were  taken  by  the 
officers,  who  mostly  fell.  A  lieutenant  colonel,  a  ma 
jor,  and  five  captains,  who  were  in  commission  in  the 
militia,  all  fell.  Colonel  Durkee,  and  Captains  Hewitt 
and  Kansom,  were  likewise  killed.  In  the  whole,  about 
two  hundred  men  lost  their  lives  in  the  action  on  our 
side.  What  number  of  the  enemy  were  killed  is  yet 
uncertain,  though  I  believe  a  very  considerable  num 
ber.  The  loss  of  these  men  so  intimidated  the  inhab 
itants  that  they  gave  up  the  matter  of  fighting.  Great 
numbers  ran  oif,  and  others  would  comply  with  the 
terms  that  I  had  refused.  The  enemy  sent  flags  fre 
quently  ;  the  terms  you  will  see  in  the  inclosed  letter. 
They  repeatedly  said  they  had  nothing  to  do  with  any 
but  the  inhabitants,  and  did  not  want  to  treat  with  me. 
Colonel  Denison,  by  desire  of  the  inhabitants,  went  and 
complied,  which  made  it  necessary  for  me  and  the  little 


ITS  HISTORY.  51 

remains  of  Captain  Hewitt's  company  to  leave  the  place. 
Indeed,  it  was  determined  by  the  enemy  to  spare  the 
inhabitants  after  the  agreement,  and  that  myself  and 
the  few  Continental  soldiers  should  be  delivered  up  to 
the  savages;  upon  which  I  left  the  place,  and  came 
away,  scarcely  able  to  move,  as  I  have  had  no  rest 
since  I  left  Yorktown.  It  has  not  been  in  my  power 
to  find  a  horse  or  man  to  wait  on  the  Board  till  now. 
I  must  submit  to  the  Board  what  must  be  the  next 
step.  The  little  remains  of  Hewitt's  company,  which 
are  about  fifteen,  are  gone  to  Shamoken,  and  Captain 
Spaulding's  company,  I  have  heard,  are  on  the  Dela 
ware.  Several  hundred  of  the  inhabitants  are  strolling 
in  the  country  destitute  of  provisions,  who  have  large 
fields  of  grain  and  other  necessaries  of  life  at  "West 
moreland.  In  short,  if  the  inhabitants  can  go  back, 
there  may  yet  be  secured  double  the  quantity  of  pro 
visions  to  support  themselves,  otherwise  they  must  be 
beggars,  and  a  burden  to  the  world. 

"  I  have  heard  from  men  that  came  from  the  place 
since  the  people  gave  up  that  the  Indians  have  killed 
no  persons  since,  but  have  burned  most  of  the  build 
ings,  and  are  collecting  all  the  horses  they  can,  and  are 
moving  up  the  river.  They  likewise  say  the  enemy 
were  eight  hundred,  one  half  white  men.  I  should  be 
glad  that,  if  possible,  there  might  be  a  sufficient  guard 
sent  for  the  defense  of  the  place,  which  will  be  the 
means  of  saving  thousands  from  poverty,  but  must 
submit  to  the  wisdom  of  Congress.  I  desire  further 
orders  from  the  honorable  Board  of  War  with  respect 
to  myself  and  the  soldiers  under  my  direction. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be  your  honor's  most  obedient 
humble  servant,  ZEBULON  BUTLER." 


52  WYOMING. 

THE    OTHER    SIDE. — JOHN    BUTLER'S    REPORT    OF   THE 
BATTLE. 

MAJOR   JOHN   BUTLER   TO   LIEUTENANT  COLONEL   BOLTON. 

"Lacuwanack,  8th  July,  1778. 

"  On  the  30th  of  June  I  arrived  with  about  500 
rangers  and  Indians*  at  Wyoming,  and  encamped  on 
an  eminence  which  overlooks  the  greatest  part  of  the 
settlement,  from  which  I  sent  out  parties  to  discover 
the  situation  or  strength  of  the  enemy,  who  brought  in 
eight  prisoners  and  scalps.  Two  Loyalistsf  who  came 
into  my  camp  informed  me  that  the  rebels  could  mus 
ter  about  eight  hundred  men,  who  were  all  assembled 
in  their  forts.:):  July  the  1st  I  marched  to  the  distance 
of  half  a  mile  of  Wintermoot's  Fort,  and  sent  in  Lieu 
tenant  Turney  with  a  flag  to  demand  immediate  pos 
session  of  it,  which  was  soon  agreed  to.§  A  flag  was 
then  sent  to  Jenkins's  Fort,  which  surrendered  on  near 
ly  the  same  conditions  as  Wintermoot's,  both  of  which 
are  inclosed.  ||  I  next  summoned  Forty  Fort,  the  com 
mandant  of  which  refused  the  conditions  I  sent  him. 
July  3d,  parties  were  sent  out  to  collect  cattle,  who  in 
formed  me  that  the  rebels  were  preparing  to  attack 
me.  This  pleased  the  Indians  highly,  who  observed 

*  It  has  always  been  believed  in  Wyoming  that  the  numbers  of 
Butler's  army  were  between  700  and  1000.  A  scout  went  up  to  the 
place  of  debarkation  the  day  before  the  battle,  and  from  the  number 
of  their  boats  they  estimated  their  force  at  over  1000. 

f  Probably  the  Wintermoots. 

|  Here  the  number  is  greatly  exaggerated ;  but,  as  the  colonel 
wished  to  magnify  his  exploit,  he  reports  his  own  number  less  than 
it  really  was,  and  exaggerates  that  of  the  settlers. 

§  "Soon  agreed  to  !"  It  was  arranged  beforehand,  for  those  who 
built  and  occupied  it  were  Tories. 

||  Fort  Jenkins  was  not  entered  until  the  day  after  the  battle. — Sec 
the  account  of  Richard  Gardner,  p.  355. 


ITS  UTSTOKY.  58 

they  should  be  on  an  equal  footing  with  them  in  the 
woods.  At  two  o'clock  we  observed  the  rebels  upon 
their  march,  in  number  about  four  or  five  hundred.* 
Between  four  and  five  o'clock  they  were  advanced 
within  a  mile  of  us.  Finding  them  determined,  I  or 
dered  the  fort  to  be  set  on  fire,  which  deceived  the  en 
emy  into  an  opinion  that  we  had  retreated.  We  then 
posted  ourselves  in  a  fine  open  wood,  and,  for  our  great 
er  safety,  lay  flat  upon  the  ground,  waiting  their  ap 
proach.  When  they  were  within  two  hundred  yards 
of  us,  they  began  firing.  We  still  continued  upon  the 
ground,  without  returning  their  fire,  until  they  had 
fired  three  volleys.  By  this  time  they  had  advanced 
within  one  hundred  yards  of  us,  and,  being  quite  near 
enough,  Gucingerachton  ordered  his  Indians,  who  were 
upon  the  right,  to  begin  the  attack  upon  our  part, 
which  was  immediately  well  seconded  by  the  Eangers 
on  the  left.  Our  fire  was  so  close  and  well  directed 
that  the  affair  was  soon  over,  not  lasting  half  an  hour 
from  the  time  they  gave  us  their  first  fire  to  their  flight. 
In  this  action  were  taken  227  scalps  and  only  five  pris 
oners,  f  The  Indians  were  so  exasperated  with  their 
loss  last  year  near  Fort  Stanwix  that  it  was  with  the 
greatest  difficulty  I  could  save  the  lives  of  these  few.J 

*  Here  again  is  a  gross  exaggeration.  The  numbers,  all  told,  did 
not  exceed  320. 

f  Perhaps  one  third  of  the  "scalps"  "were  taken"  after  the  "ac 
tion"  was  over,  from  the  heads  of  prisoners  who  had  surrendered  and 
asked  quarter. 

t  The  "  loss"  of  "  the  Indians"  "at  Fort  Stanwix"  was  doubtless  a 
most  provoking  affair ;  but  who  was  to  blame  ?  Must  the  people  of 
Wyoming  atone  for  it?  The  Indians  probably  flung  away  a  few 
guns  and  blankets  at  Fort  Stanwix  in  their  sudden  flight,  for  which 
they  doubtless  fully  remunerated  themselves  by  robbing  their  friends. 
Thoir  "great  loss,"  however,  was  that  of  the  opportunity  of  taking 


54  WYOMING. 

Colonel  Denniston,  who  came  in  next  day  with,  a  min 
ister  and  two  others  to  treat  for  the  remainder  of  the 
settlement  of  Westmoreland,  assured  us  that  they  had 
•  lost  one  colonel,  two  majors,  seven  captains,  thirteen 
lieutenants,  eleven  ensigns,  two  hundred  and  sixty- 
eight  privates.  On  our  side  were  killed  one  Indian, 
two  Eangers,  and  eight  Indians  were  wounded.*  In 
this  incursion  we  have  taken  eight  palisades,  (six)  forts, 
and  burned  about  one  thousand  dwelling-houses,  f  all 
their  mills,  etc.  We  have  also  killed  and  drove  off 
about  one  thousand  head  of  horned  cattle,  and  sheep 
and  swine  in  great  numbers.  But  what  gives  me  the 
sincerest  satisfaction  is  that  I  can  with  great  truth  as 
sure  you  that  in  the  destruction  of  this  settlement  not 
a  single  person  has  been  hurt  of  the  inhabitants  but 
such  as  were  in  arms;  to  these,  indeed,  the  Indians 
gave  no  quarter.^: 

u  I  have  also  the  pleasure  to  inform  you  that  the 
officers  and  Eangers  behaved  during  this  short  action 
highly  to  my  satisfaction,  and  have  always  supported 

the  scalps  of  the  garrison,  and  plundering  it  of  its  provisions,  ammu 
nition,  and  small  arms. 

*  This  story  is  strangely  false.  Three  Indians  were  shot  down  in 
the  pursuit,  and  probably  more. — See  the  statement  of  Solomon  Ben- 
net,  p.  363. 

t  There  were  not  more  than  half  so  many  dwelling-houses  in  the 
settlement  to  burn.  Besides,  when  this  dispatch  was  written,  the 
settlement  had  not  been  fired  at  all,  with  the  exception  of  here  and 
there  a  cabin. — See  Mrs.  Myers's  and  Mrs.  Bedford's  statements. 

|  "The  Indians  gave  no  quarter."  None  indeed.  What  be 
came  of  those  who  were  taken  prisoners?  What  became  of  the 
wounded?  What  became  of  the  "five  prisoners"  which  the  report 
says  were  taken  ?  They  were  all  massacred  in  cold  blood,  with  the 
exception  of  two  who  lived  to  return.  Three  out  of  the  "five" 
which  the  colonel  reports  as  saved  were  never  heard  of  after 
ward . 


ITS  HISTORY.  55 

themselves  through  hunger  and  fatigue  with  great 
cheerfulness. 

"  I  have  this  day  sent  a  party  of  men  to  the  Dela 
ware  to  destroy  a  small  settlement  there,  and  to  bring 
off  prisoners.  In  two  or  three  days  I  shall  send  out 
other  parties  for  the  same  purpose,  if  I  can  sup 
ply  myself  with  provisions.*  I  shall  harass  the  ad 
jacent  country,  and  prevent  them  from  getting  in  their 
harvest.f 

"  The  settlement  of  Scohary  or  the  Minisinks  will 
be  my  next  object,  both  of  which  abound  in  corn  and 
cattle,  the  destruction  of  which  can  not  fail  of  greatly 
distressing  the  rebels.^  I  have  not  yet  been  able  to 
hear  any  thing  of  the  expresses  I  sent  to  the  Generals 
Howe  and  Clinton ;  but  as  I  sent  them  by  ten  differ- 

*  What !  short  of  "provisions"  only  three  days  after  taking  from 
the  settlers  "one  thousand  head  of  horned  cattle,  and  sheep,  and 
swine  in  great  numbers  ?"  This  is  a  strangely  inconsistent  and  self- 
contradictory  tale. 

f  How  would  he  do  this,  as  he  was  then  on  his  way  back  to  the 
north  ?  He  could  only  do  it  by  the  agency  of  parties  of  his  Indians 
who  were  left  behind.  He,  Colonel  Butler,  then  would  do  more  than 
simply  to  "  harass  the  adjacent  country,  and  prevent  them  from 
getting  in  their  harvest."  He  would  shoot  down  the  settlers  in  the 
field ;  kill  and  scalp  their  wives  and  children ;  rob,  burn,  and  scalp 
on  as  large  a  scale  as  possible.  All  this  was  done  by  the  same  agen 
cy  as  that  by  which  the  people  were  prevented  from  "getting  in  their 
harvest;"  and  if  ColonelJohn  Butler  did  the  one,  the  same  Colonel 
John  Butler  did  the  other. 

J  In  this  arrangement  the  brave  Colonel  John  Butler  was  "be 
hind  the  light-house,"  for  this  business  was  committed  to  Brant,  who 
at  that  very  moment  was  earnestly  engaged  in  its  prosecution. 

We  do  not  much  wonder  that  this  famous  dispatch  has  been  so 
long  shut  up  in  the  government  archives  in  London.  It  is  a  perfect 
ly  bald  caricature  of  the  famous  expedition  of  its  author  "down  the 
Susquehanna  to  Wyoming."  At  the  same  time,  we  are  happy  to  be 
able  to  give  it  to  the  public.  The  "journal"  of  which  the  colonel 
speaks  must  be  rich.  We  only  wish  we  had  that. 


56 


WYOMING. 


cnt  routes,  I  am  in  hopes  that  some  of  them  will  be 
able  to  make  their  way  to  them  and  return. 

"  In  a  few  days  I  do  myself  the  honor  of  writing  to 
you  more  fully,  and  send  you  a  journal  of  my  proceed 
ings  since  I  left  Niagara. 

"I  am,  sir,  with  respect,  your  most  obedient  and 
very  humble  servant, 

(Signed),  "JOHN  BUTLER." 

"We  have  given,  in  as  brief  a  manner  as  we  deemed 
consistent  with  a  full  understanding  of  the  subject,  the 


POSITION   OF  THE  WYOMING   FOUT8.* 

main  facts  of  "  the  Wyoming  massacre."     It  will  be 
proper  in  this  place  to  take  some  notice  of  a  widely 

*  Explanation  of  the  Plan. — The  several  divisions,  Hanover,  Wilkes- 
barre,  Kingstown,  &c.,  mark  the  districts  into  which  the  town  of 
Westmoreland  was  divided ;  in  military  language,  the  different  beats. 
A  marks  the  site  of  Fort  Durkee ;  7J,  Wyoming  or  Wilkesbarre  Fort ; 
C1,  Fort  Ogden  ;  D,  village  of  Kingston ;  E,  Forty  Fort.  [This,  in 
the  early  histories  of  the  Revolution,  is  called  Kingston  Fort.]  F, 
the  battle-ground  ;  (7,  Wintermoot's  Fort ;  77,  Fort  Jenkins  ;  7, 
Monocasy  Island ;  7,  the  three  Pittstown  stockades.  The  dot  below 


ITS   HISTORY.  57 

different  report  of  the  affair,  which  has  gone  into  his 
tory  and  obtained  a  wide  circulation.  The  account  to 
which  we  refer  may  be  found  in  Thatcher's  Military 
Journal,  and  Gordon's  History  of  the  American  Rev 
olution.  We  shall  simply  refer  to  the  points  which 
are  most  glaringly  false,  and  not  occupy  space  for  the 
whole  story. 

After  the  battle  it  is  represented  that  "  Fort  King 
ston"  was  "invested  the  next  day,  4th  of  July,  on  the 
land  side."  Dr.  Thatcher  asserts  that  the  fort  was 
cannonaded  the  whole  day,  whereas  there  was  but  one 
cannon,  a  four-pounder,  in  the  valley,  and  that  the 
Yankees  had  in  Wilkesbarre. 

Again  it  is  said,  "  The  enemy,  to  sadden  the  droop 
ing  spirits  of  the  weak  remaining  garrison,  sent  in  for 
their  contemplation  the  bloody  scalps  of  196  of  their 
late  friends  and  comrades."  This  is  a  pure  fiction. 

"July  5th,"  Colonel  Denison  is  represented  as  asking 
"  what  terms"  would  be  given  on  a  "  surrender,"  when 
"  Butler  answered,  with  more  than  savage  phlegm,  in 
two  short  words, '  the  hatchet?  Denison,  having  defend 
ed  the  fort  till  most  of  the  garrison  were  killed  or  dis 
abled,  was  compelled  to  surrender  at  discretion.  Some 
of  the  unhappy  persons  in  the  fort  were  carried  away 

the  G  marks  the  place  of  Queen  Esther's  Rock.  The  village  of  Troy 
is  upon  the  battle-ground,  and  that  of  Wilkesbarre  upon  the  site  of 
Wilkesbarre  Fort  and  its  ravelins.  The  distances  of  the  several 
points  from  the  present  bridge  at  Wilkesbarre  are  as  follows :  Fort 
Durkee,  half  a  mile  below,  on  the  left  bank.  Fort  Ogden,  three  and 
a  half  miles  above,  and  the  Pittstown  stockades,  about  eight  miles, 
on  the  same  side.  Forty  Fort,  three  and  a  half  miles ;  the  Monu 
ment,  on  the  battle-ground,  five  and  a  half;  Queen  Esther's  Rock, 
six  and  a  half;  Wintermoot's  Fort  and  Fort  Jenkins,  eight  miles 
above,  on  the  west  or  right  bank  of  the  river.  Kingston  is  directly 
opposite  Wilkesbarre,  half  a  mile  westward. 

C2 


58  WYOMING. 

alive  ;  but  the  barbarous  conquerors,  to  save  the  trou-~ 
ble  of  murder  in  detail,  shut  up  the  rest  promiscuously 
in  the  houses  and  barracks,  which  having  set  on  fire, 
they  enjoyed  the  savage  pleasure  of  beholding  the 
whole  consumed  in  one  general  blaze." 

The  story  proceeds :  "  They  found  about  seventy 
Continental  soldiers,  who  had  been  engaged  merely 
for  the  defense  of  the  frontiers,  whom  they  butchered 
with  every  circumstance  of  horrid  cruelty.  The  re 
mainder  of  the  men,  with  the  women  and  children, 
were  shut  up,  as  before,  in  the  houses,  which  being  set 
on  fire,  they  perished  all  together  in  the  flames." 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  add  here  that  these  are 
not  mere  exaggerations,  but  downright  falsehoods. 
That  they  would  be  extensively  believed  in  this  coun 
try,  where  the  Tories  and  Indians  were  with  no  in 
justice  regarded  as  a  sort  of  demons  incarnate,  and 
that  subsequent  historians,  living  at  a  distance  from 
the  scene  of  action,  should  repeat  them,  is  only  what 
might  be  expected.  Chief  Justice  Marshall,  in  his 
voluminous  Life  of  "Washington,  first  published  in 
1804,  copied  Gordon's  tale,  and  others  have  continued 
to  follow  his  example  down  to  this  date.  Mr.  Charles 
Miner  wrote  to  the  chief  justice  in  1806,  giving  him 
the  facts  as  they  really  occurred,  and  informing  him 
that  the  story  to  which  he  had  given  the  sanction  of 
his  name  was  taken  from  newspaper  accounts,  which 
were  published  without  correct  information  soon  after 
the  event  of  the  massacre.  Twenty-five  years  after 
ward,  when  the  chief  justice  was  contemplating  a  new 
and  improved  edition  of  the  Life  of  Washington,  he 
politely  acknowledged  the  receipt  of  Mr.  Miner's  let 
ter.  Mr.  Miner  has  published  two  letters  from  the 
chief  justice  in  his  History  of  Wyoming,  p.  256-7. 


ITS   HISTORY.  59 

In  the  letter  of  June  14,  1881,  are  the  following 
short  paragraphs : 

"  Mr.  Kamsay,  I  presume,  copied  his  statement  from 
Gordon,  and  I  relied  upon  both,  as  I  know  Mr.  Gordon 
made  personal  inquiries  into  most  of  the  events  of  the 
war,  and  that  Mr.  Kamsay  was  in  Congress,  and  conse 
quently  had  access  to  all  the  letters  on  the  subject. 
It  is  surprising  that  they  should  have  so  readily  given 
themselves  up  to  the  newspapers  of  the  day. 

"  It  was  certainly  our  policy  during  the  war  to  ex 
cite  the  utmost  possible  irritation  against  our  enemy, 
and  it  is  not  surprising  that  we  should  not  always  have 
been  very  mindful  of  the  verity  of  our  publications ; 
but  when  we  come  to  the  insertion  of  facts  in  serious 
history,  truth  ought  never  to  be  disregarded.  Mr. 
Gordon  and  Mr.  Kamsay  ought  to  have  sought  for  it." 

All  this  is  very  sensible,  but  it  is  a  curious  fact  that 
"  Mr.  Kamsay"  never  "  copied"  Gordon's  "  statements." 
In  Kamsay 's  "  statements,"  both  in  his  "  History  of  the 
United  States"  and  his  "  American  Revolution,"  noth 
ing  is  said  of  the  "investment"  "the  scalps,"  "the 
hatchet,"  "the  burning,"  or  "the  seventy  Continental 
soldiers ;"  but  a  simple  statement  of  the  facts  connect 
ed  with  the  capitulation  of  the  fort,  the  flight  of  the 
inhabitants,  and  the  utter  desolation  of  the  country,  is 
given,  with  only  slight  and  immaterial  variations  from 
the  account  as  narrated  by  Chapman,  Stone,  and  Mi 
ner.  It  is  strange  that  so  careful  and  conscientious  a 
historian  as  Chief  Justice  Marshall  should  have  com 
mitted  so  grave  a  mistake  in  a  matter  of  authority. 
He  doubtless  wrote  to  Mr.  Miner  "  without  book,"  and 
his  memory  failed  him.  Since  that  time  Kamsay  has 
been  associated  with  Gordon  as  authority  for  the  fic 
tion  of  "  the  hatchet"  and  the  "  burning  of  women  and 


60  WYOMING. 

children."  Now  we  hope  these  authors  may  part  com 
pany,  and  Dr.  Ramsay  may  no  longer  be  held  respon 
sible  for  copying  either  Dr.  Thatcher,  Mr.  Gordon,  or 
"the  newspapers  of  the  day,"  in  his  account  of  "the 
Wyoming  massacre."  Dr.  Ramsay  is  one  of  the  pio 
neers  in  the  work  of  American  history.  He  was  the 
first  American  who  published  a  history  of  the  Amer 
ican  Revolution ;  this  was  in  1789.  The  materials  for 
this  work  were  collected  while  in  Congress  from  1782 
to  1786.  His  History  of  the  United  States  was  pub 
lished  in  1808.  The  second  volume  of  that  work  is 
represented  by  the  author  as  "  an  improved  new  edi 
tion"  of  his  "  History  of  the  American  Revolution." 
His  account  of  the  Wyoming  massacre  is  only  "im 
proved"  by  calling  "  Colonel  John  Butler"  "  a  Connec 
ticut  Tory."  In  all  other  respects  the  account  is  the 
same  in  both  works.  But  to  return  to  the  narrative. 

We  shall  now  only  be  able  to  touch  a  few  details  of 
the  history.  In  the  fall  Colonel  Butler  returned  with 
Captain  Spaulding's  company  and  some  of  the  settlers, 
and  buried  the  remains  of  those  who  fell  upon  the  field 
of  battle,  and  labored  to  secure  some  of  the  grain  which 
was  now  ripe,  But  companies  of  Indians  infested  the 
country,  who  took  prisoners,  shot  men  who  were  labor 
ing  in  the  fields,  and  stole  horses,  and  whatever  else 
they  could  carry  away. 

Colonel  Hartley,  of  the  Pennsylvania  line,  was  order 
ed  to  join  Colonel  Butler.  A  detachment  of  one  hund 
red  and  thirty  men  marched  on  the  8th  of  September 
to  the  West  Branch,  and  thence  to  Sheshequin.  On 
the  29th  a  battle  ensued,  in  which  several  on  both 
sides  were  killed.  The  Indian  settlement  was  broken 
up,  and  besides  horses  and  cattle  recovered,  a  consid 
erable  amount  of  plunder  was  taken. 


ITS  HISTORY.  ,61 

But  the  savages  followed  almost  upon  the  heels  of 
Hartley's  men,  and  resumed 'their  work  of  murder,  kid 
napping,  and  plunder.' 

Immediately  after  Colonel  Hartley's  expedition  in 
1779,  General  Washington  took  measures  to  carry  out 
a  plan,  which  had  been  under  consultation,  of  sending 
a  powerful  armament  into  the  country  of  the  Six  Na 
tions,  to  destroy  their  towns  and  chastise  them  for  their 
incursions  upon  the  frontier  settlements,  and  the  cru 
elties  and  barbarities  which  they  had  perpetrated.  The 
expedition  was  committed  to  the  charge  of  General 
Sullivan,  who  collected  his  forces  at  "Wilkesbarre,  and 
thence  transported  his  artillery  and  baggage  up  the 
river  in  boats,  and  forming  a  junction  with  a  division 
of  the  army  under  the  command  of  General  Clinton, 
at  Tioga  Point,  proceeded  to  the  prosecution  of  the  ob 
jects  of  the  expedition.  Colonel  John  Butler  at  the 
head  of  the  British  and  Tories,  and  Brant  in  command 
of  the  Indians,  made  a  stand,  a  little  below  Newtown, 
on  the  Chemung  Kiver,  with  fifteen  hundred  or  two 
thousand  men,  but  were  routed  with  considerable  loss, 
and  left  the  Indian  towns,  and  the  fields  loaded  with 
fruit,  to  be  overrun  and  desolated  by  an  avenging  foe. 

"  Not  a  moment  of  delay  was  allowed.  Being  now 
in  the  Indian  country,  hundreds  of  fields,  teeming  with 
corn,  beans,  and  other  vegetables,  were  laid  waste  with 
rigid  severity.  Every  house,  hut,  and  wigwam  was 
consumed.  Cultivated  in  rude  Indian  fashion  for  cen 
turies,  orchards  abounded,  and  near  a  town  between 
the  Seneca  and  Cayuga  Lakes  there  were  fifteen  hund 
red  peach-trees,  bending  under  ripe  and  ripening  fruit : 
all  were  cut  down.  The  besom  of  destruction  swept, 
if  with  regret  and  pity,  still  with  firm  hand,  through 
all  their  fair  fields  and  fertile  plains.  Deeply  were 


62  WYOMING. 

they  made  to  drink  of  the  bitter  chalice  they  had  so 
often  forced  remorselessly  to  the  lips  of  the  frontier 
settlers  within  their  reach.  Some  idea  of  the  extent 
of  country  inhabited  by  the  Indians,  the  number  of 
their  towns,  and  the  great  quantity  of  produce  to  be 
destroyed,  may  be  formed,  when  it  is  stated  that  an 
army  of  four  thousand  men  were  employed,  without  a 
day's  (except  indispensable)  remission,  from  the  29th 
of  August  until  the  28th  of  September,  in  accomplish 
ing  the  work  of  destruction.  The  farthest  northwest 
extent  of  General  Sullivan's  advance  was  to  Genesee 
Castle,  at  the  large  flats  on  the  beautiful  river  of  that 
name."— Miner's  History,  p.  271,  272. 

But,  notwithstanding  the  success  of  General  Sulli 
van's  expedition,  it  did  not  result  in  the  security  of 
Wyoming  from  the  incursions  of  the  savages.  Still, 
parties  of  Indians  continued  their  visits,  and  from  time 
to  time  exercised  their  propensities  for  plundering, 
kidnapping,  and  murder.  For  three  years  the  settle 
ment  was  in  a  constant  state  of  alarm,  and  many 
strange  and  interesting  incidents  marked  its  history. 
The  capture  and  escape  of  Thomas  Bennet  and  Leb- 
beus  Hammond,  of  Pike,  Yancampen,  and  Kogers ;  the 
kidnapping  and  late  discovery  of  Frances  Slocum, 
with  a  multitude  of  other  events  as  full  of  romance  as 
any  of  the  scenes  found  in  the  writings  of  Sir  Walter 
Scott,  are  detailed  in  subsequent  chapters. 

u  The  number  of  lives  actually  lost  in  Wyoming 
during  the  war  it  is  impossible  to  estimate  with  cer 
tainty  ;  probably  three  hundred,  being  one  in  ten  of 
the  inhabitants,  or  exceeding  one  third  of  the  adult 
male  population  at  the  commencement  of  the  war. 
Connecticut,  to  have  suffered  in  the  same  proportion, 
would  have  lost  near  twenty -three  thousand,  and  the 


ITS  HISTORY.  63 

United  Colonies  three  hundred  thousand." — Miner's 
History. 

Upon  the  termination  of  the  war  with  Great  Britain, 
the  supreme  executive  council  of  Pennsylvania  pre 
sented  a  petition  to  Congress,  praying  for  a  hearing 
touching  the  difficulties  with  Connecticut  in  relation 
to  the  title  to  the  lands  upon  the  Susquehanna.  To 
this  Connecticut  promptly  responded,  and  the  question 
was  submitted  to  an  arbitration  agreed  upon  by  the 
parties,  and  assembled  in  Trenton,  N.  J.,  in  December, 
1782.  The  following  was  the  decision : 

"  We  are  unanimously  of  opinion  that  Connecticut 
has  no  right  to  the  lands  in  controversy. 

"  We  are  also  unanimously  of  opinion  that  the  ju 
risdiction  and  pre-emption  of  all  the  territory  lying 
within  the  charter  of  Pennsylvania,  and  now  claimed 
by  the  State  of  Connecticut,  do  of  right  belong  to  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania." — Ibid.,  p.  308. 

Of  this  decision  the  people  of  Wyoming  did  not  com 
plain,  fully  expecting  to  be  "  quieted  in  their  posses 
sions"  under  the  government  of  Pennsylvania.  They 
supposed  their  individual  claims  to  the  right  of  pre 
emption  had  not  been  submitted  nor  adjudicated,  and 
with  them,  as  things  stood,  it  was  not  a  matter  of  much 
importance  whether  they  were  to  be  subject  to  the  ju 
risdiction  of  Pennsylvania  or  Connecticut,  provided 
they  might  remain  in  the  peaceable  possession  of  their 
lands.  But  from  the  proceedings  which  followed,  the 
settlers  soon  found  that  the  object  of  Pennsylvania  was 
their  utter  expulsion  from  the  homes  which  had  al 
ready  cost  them  infinite  vexation  and  much  precious 
blood.  There  was  an  affectation  of  conditions  of 
compromise,  but  they  resolved  themselves  into  these 
points : 


64  WYOMING. 

"  1st.  Pledges  to  be  given,  such  as  could  not  admit 
of  denial  or  evasion,  for  their  obedience. 

"2d.  A  disclaimer  in  writing,  publicly,  plainly,  and 
unequivocally  given,  of  all  claims  to  their  lands  held 
under  title  from  Connecticut.  Then  follow  the  mer 
ciful  terms. 

"  3d.  The  settler  to  take  a  lease  of  half  his  farm  for 
about  eleven  months,  giving  up  possession  at  once  of 
the  other  half.  On  the  first  of  April  following  to  aban 
don  claims,  home,  possession,  to  his  adversary. 

"  4th.  The  widows  of  those  who  had  fallen  by  the 
savages  to  be  indulged  in  half  their  possessions  a  year 
longer. 

"  And  5th.  The  Kev.  Mr.  Johnson  to  be  allowed  to 
occupy  his  grounds  (under  disclaimer  and  lease,  of 
course)  for  two  years." — Miner's  History,  p.  324,  325. 

The  settlers  remonstrated,  and  stood  firmly  to  their 
positions.  The  agents  of  the  government  of  Pennsyl 
vania  proceeded  to  constitute  townships,  and  take  pos 
session  of  the  lands.  The  settlers  were  not  subdued 
by  the  dangers  and  troubles  through  which  they  had 
passed.  Though  war  had  diminished  and  weakened 
them,  they  were  not  prepared  tamely  to  submit  to 
downright  usurpation  and  oppression.  The  soil  which 
had  drunk  the  blood  of  their  dear  friends — fathers, 
brothers,  and  sons — was  too  sacred  to  be  lightly  aban 
doned.  Their  homes  they  were  determined  to  hold, 
peaceably  if  they  could,  forcibly  if  they  must.  See 
ing  themselves  likely  to  fail  of  maintaining  their  rights, 
the  law  being  in  the  hands  of  those  interested,  they 
seized  their  old  rusty  guns  and  hurled  defiance  at  their 
oppressors.  Colonel  Butler,  Colonel  Jenkins,  and  Col 
onel  Franklin  led  on  the  Connecticut  people  in  the 
maintenance  of  their  rights,  always  exhausting  nego- 


ITS  HISTORY.  65 

tiation  and  diplomacy  before  they  had  recourse  to  forci 
ble  measures.  Colonel  Armstrong,  the  author  of  the 
famous  "Newburg  Letters,"  was  commissioned  to  visit 
the  scene  of  strife,  with  an  armed  force  of  four  hundred 
men,  and  restore  peace.  Finding  the  Pennamites  and 
Yankees  in  the  field  in  the  attitude  of  war,  he  required 
both  parties  to  give  up  their  arms  and  cease  hostilities, 
promising  "impartial  justice  and  protection."  The 
Yankees  feared  "treachery,"  but  Colonel  Armstrong 
"pledging  his  faith  as  a  soldier  and  his  honor  as  a  gen 
tleman"  that  the  opposite  party  should  also  be  .dis 
armed,  they  finally  submitted. 

"They  paraded,  were  ordered  to  'ground  arms;' 
they  were  then  commanded,  *  Eight  about — march  ten 
steps — halt — right  about !'  which  they  obeyed ;  when 
Colonel  Armstrong  ordered  his  men  to  advance  and 
take  up  the  grounded  arms.  Thus  far  was  according 
to  their  expectations ;  but  their  surprise  was  merged  in 
bitterest  mortification  when  Colonel  Armstrong  gave 
rapid  orders,  as  rapidly  obeyed,  to  surround  the  dis 
armed  settlers,  and  make  them  all  prisoners:  resist 
ance  was  vain,  and  escape  hopeless.  Not  a  musket 
was  taken  from  Patterson's  forces,  but  they  beheld  the 
successful  treachery  of  Colonel  Armstrong  with  unre 
strained  delight  and  taunting  exultation.  A  soldier's 
faith  should  be  unsullied  as  the  judicial  ermine — the 
pledged  honor  of  a  gentleman  more  sacred  than  life. 
Both  were  basely  violated,  and  language  is  too  poor  to 
paint  in  proper  colors  the  detestable  deed." — Miner. 

The  poor  fellows  were  now  bound  with  cords,  and 
hurried  off,  some  to  Easton,  others  to  Northumberland, 
and  thrown  into  prison.  Armstrong  returned  to  Phil 
adelphia  to  herald  his  triumph ;  but,  to  his  great  mor 
tification,  he  almost  immediately  learned  that  most  of 


Ob  WYOMING. 

the  Yankees  were  released  on  bail,  and  were  again  in 
the  field.  Skirmishes  now  ensued,  and  lives  were  lost 
on  both  sides. 

A  sympathy  was  now  quite  general  in  Pennsylva 
nia  for  the  settlers.  Armstrong's  perfidy  was  known 
and  execrated,  and  when  he  returned  to  Wyoming, 
having  been  authorized  to  raise  a  force  sufficient  to  re 
duce  the  Yankees,  he  could  only  bring  into  the  field 
about  one  hundred  men.  In  an  assault  upon  a  party 
who  occupied  three  block-houses  at  Tuttle's  Creek  he 
was  repulsed,  and  one  of  his  subalterns,  a  Captain  Bo- 
len,  was  killed.  This  was  the  last  blood  that  was 
spilled  in  these  unfortunate  conflicts.  September  15, 
1784,  the  Legislative  Assembly  of  Pennsylvania  "or 
dered  the  settlers  to  be  restored  to  their  possessions." 

A  portion  of  the  settlers  had,  by  means  of  the  op 
pressive  measures  of  Pennsylvania,  become  wholly  dis 
affected  with  her ;  and,  led  on  by  Colonel  Franklin,  a 
most  active  and  able  political  agitator,  they  made  a 
stand  against  the  jurisdiction  of  Pennsylvania,  and  ac 
tually  commenced  incipient  measures  for  the  organiza 
tion  of  the  disputed  territory  into  a  new  state.  The 
settlers  were  now  themselves  divided  into  two  factions ; 
one  under  the  influence  of  Colonel  Pickering,  who  act 
ed  under  the  authority  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  other 
led  on  by  Colonel  Franklin,  who  acted  partly  for  him 
self  and  partly  for  the  dear  people.  The  feud  was, 
however,  finally  terminated  by  the  apprehension  and 
imprisonment  of  Franklin,  who,  after  he  had  lain  in 
jail  in  Philadelphia  for  several  months,  so  far  lost  his 
ardor  as  to  ask  pardon  of  the  Legislature,  and  promise 
allegiance  to  the  state,  which  promise  he  for  many 
years  faithfully  fulfilled.  So  terminated  all  the  wars 
of  the  Valley  of  Wyoming. 


ITS   HISTORY.  67 


COLONEL   PICKERING. 


After  the  termination  of  the  wars,  Wyoming  became 
a  pleasant,  nourishing  rural  district  under  the  jurisdic 
tion  of  Pennsylvania,  and  its  inhabitants  soon  attained 
not  only  competency,  but  many  of  them  wealth  and 
opulence. 

"Look  now  abroad :  another  race  has  filled 

These  populous  borders ;  wide  the  wood  recedes, 
And  towns  shoot  up,  and  fertile  realms  are  tilled ; 

The  land  is  full  of  harvests  and  green  meads ; 
Streams  numberless,  that  many  a  fountain  feeds, 

Shine,  disembowered,  and  give  to  sun  and  breeze 
Their  virgin  matins  ;  the  full  region  leads 

New  colonies  forth,  that  toward  the  western  seas 
Spread  like  a  rapid  flame  among  the  autumnal  trees." 

BRYANT. 

Their  commercial  operations  were  carried  on  by  a 
laborious  process,  but  they  were  remunerative.  Colo 
nel  Holenback  and  others,  who  commenced  life  with 
little  or  nothing,  amassed  fortunes  by  trading  with  the 
settlers  and  the  Indians  scattered  through  the  wilder 
ness  between  Niagara  and  Philadelphia.  Things 


OS  WYOMING. 

moved  on  in  a  quiet  way,  and  business  was  pursued 
by  its  ancient  channels  until  it  was  found  that  Wyo 
ming  and  Lackawanna  valleys  constituted  one  of  the 
richest  basins  of  anthracite  coal  in  the  State  of  Penn 
sylvania.  Eastern  capital  finally  became  enlisted,  and, 
together  with  home  resources,  has  originated  a  vast 
trade,  which  has  changed  the  whole  course  of  business. 
Agriculture  is  now  a  mere  circumstance  in  the  busi 
ness  interests  of  the  country. 

Until  within  a  few  years  Wyoming  was  as  much 
like  "  The  Happy  Yalley"  in  Kasselas  as  could  well  be 
imagined.  The  only  modes  of  access  to  the  great  world 
were  either  by  the  river,  which  was  never  properly 
navigable,  or  across  the  eastern  mountains,  over  an  al 
most  impassable  road.  Thanks  to  modern  improve 
ments,  every  thing  is  now  changed.  The  spell  is 
broken.  The  dark  silence  of  the  past  has  given  place 
to  the  bustle  of  business,  the  shriek  of  the  locomotive, 
and  the  thunder  of  the  cars.  Instead  of  a  full  week's 
travel  between  this  secluded  spot  and  New  York  or 
Philadelphia,  only  a  few  hours  are  now  occupied  by 
the  journey. 

From  the  present  point  of  business,  activity,  and 
progress,  we  propose  to  lead  the  reader  back  to  the 
primitive  simplicity  of  the  first  settlers — to  take  a  brief 
view  of  their  struggles  and  perils — their  conflicts  with 
the  wild  beasts,  the  wild  Indians,  and  with  each  other. 
The  history  of  no  portion  of  our  great  country  is  more 
replete  with  curious  incidents  and  romantic  adven 
tures  than  the  history  of  Wyoming.  Every  foot  of 
the  soil  is  rendered  classic  by  some  historic  fact  or 
some  curious  legend.  Bloody  conflicts,  hair-breadth 
escapes,  starvations,  heart-breaks,  love  adventures, 
prodigies  of  heroism,  and  miracles  of  endurance,  mark 


ITS   HISTORY.  (59 

every  page  of  the  early  history  of  Wyoming,  and  are 
associated  with  every  one  of  her  ancient  locali ties. 

Our  object  shall  be  to  introduce  to  the  reader  some 
of  the  tellers  of  the  wondrous  tales  of  the  olden  time. 
They  shall  now  speak  for  themselves.  Their  own  sim 
ple  stories,  told,  as  nearly  as  may  be,  in  their  own  lan 
guage,  is  the  desideratum  which  we  propose  to  supply, 
and  for  which  our  materials  are  quite  ample. 

Novelists  and  poets  have  strained  their  imagination 
to  render  the  scenery  and  the  scenes  of  Wyoming  en 
chanting  to  their  readers,  while  facts  and  incidents  have 
been  sleeping  here,  or  have  been  but  partially  under 
stood,  which  are  really  more  wonderful  than  the  fruit 
ful  brains  of  these  writers  were  able  to  conceive.  The 
truth,  told  without  affectation  after  the  excitements  of 
the  strange  scenes  described  have  long  since  passed 
away  will  be  found  to  outstrip  fiction  in  exciting  in 
terest. 

Perhaps  the  brightest  gem  to  be  found  among  the 
poetical  effusions  of  Thomas  Campbell  is  his  "Ger 
trude  of  Wyoming."  There  is  much  that  is  truthful 
in  his  pictures,  some  few  things  which  are  false,  but 
nothing  overdrawn.  One  of  our  own  poets,  who  had 
gazed  upon  the  objects  and  scenes  of  the  valley  for 
himself,  makes  the  following  beautiful  allusion  to 
Campbell's  Gertrude  in  a  strain  not  below  the  poetic 
beauty  of  that  poem : 

"  I  then  but  dreamed :  them  art  before  me  now, 

In  life,  a  vision  of  the  brain  no  more. 
I've  stood  upon  the  wooded  mountain's  brow, 
That  beetles  high  thy  lovely  valley  o'er. 

Nature  hath  made  thee  lovelier  than  the  power 

Even  of  Campbell's  pen  hath  pictured  :  he 
Had  woven,  had  he  gazed  one  sunny  hour 

Upon  thy  smiling  vale,  its  scenery. 


70  WYOMING. 

With  more  of  truth,  and  made  each  rock  and  tree 
Known  like  old  friends,  and  greeted  from  afar : 
And  there  are  tales  of  sad  reality 

In  the  dark  legends  of  thy  border  war, 
With  woes  of  deeper  tint  than  his  own  Gertrude's  are." 

HALLECK. 


BRANT  AND   HIS  TORY  ASSOCIATES. 


71 


H. 

BRANT  AND  HIS  TORY  ASSOCIATES. 

"But  this  is  not  a  time" — he  started  up, 

And  smote  his  breast  with  wo-denouncing  hand — 
"  This  is  no  time  to  fill  the  joyous  cup ; 

The  mammoth  comes — the  foe — the  monster  Brant, 
With  all  his  howling,  desolating  band ; 

These  eyes  have  seen  their  blade  and  burning  pine 
Awake  at  once,  and  silence  half  your  land. 

Red  is  the  cup  they  drink,  but  not  with  wine ; 
Awake  and  watch  to-night,  or  see  no  morning  shine." 

CAMPBELL'S  Gertrude. 

JOSEPH  BRANT  was  a  Mohawk  sachem.     He  has 
been  represented  as  a  half-breed,  but  Colonel  Stone 


makes,  it  appear  quite  probable  that  he  was  a  full- 
blooded  Indian.     He  was  born  in  the  western  woods, 


72  WYOMING. 

somewhere  within  the  bounds  of  the  present  State  of 
Ohio,  while  his  parents  were  upon  a  hunting  expedi 
tion.  His  Indian  name  was  Thay-en-da-ne-gea.  Sir 
William  Johnson  held  a  peculiar  relation  to  the  Brant 
family.  Molly  Brant  was  a  beautiful  squaw,  and,  when 
about  sixteen,  upon  a  regimental  parade — upon  a  ban 
ter  on  her  part — had  been  allowed  by  an  officer  to 
spring  upon  his  horse  behind  him,  and,  with  her  blan 
ket  and  black  tresses  streaming  in  the  air,  to  fly  over 
the  ground,  to  the  great  amusement  of  the  spectators. 
Sir  William  was  present,  and  was  so  charmed  with  the 
creature  that  he  took  her  to  his  house.  Colonel  Stone 
says  that  she  became  "his  wife,"  and  that  her  "de 
scendants  from  Sir  William  Johnson  compose  some  of 
the  most  respectable  and  intelligent  families  in  Upper 
Canada  at  this  day."  Mr.  Campbell  calls  Molly  Brant 
Sir  William's  "mistress,"  and  in  the  "Documentary 
History  of  New  York"  she  is  called  his  "housekeep 
er."  In  all  the  records  we  have  consulted  she  is  called 
by  her  maiden  name,  "Molly  Brant,"  which  would 
seem  to  be  against  the  idea  of  her  regular  and  lawful 
marriage  to  Sir  William  Johnson.* 

Joseph,  a  younger  brother  of  Molly  Brant,  was  most 
naturally  taken  under  the  patronage  of  Sir  William ; 
and,  as  the  baronet  took  great  interest  in  the  civiliza 
tion  and  improvement  of  the  Indians,  it  is  not  strange 
that  he  took  measures  for  the  education  of  his  protege. 
The  Eev.  Mr.  Wheelock  had  established  a  school  at 
Lebanon,  Connecticut,  for  the  education  of  Indian  boys. 
Joseph  was  sent  to  this  school  with  several  other  In 
dian  boys,  and  was,  in  the  English  sense,  so  clever,  and 
made  such  progress  as  to  receive  high  commendation 

*  Mr.  Lossing  informs  us  that  Sir  William  married  Molly  Brant 
just  before  his  death,  to  legitimatize  his  children. 


BRANT  AND  HIS  TOEY  ASSOCIATES.  73 

from  his  teachers,  and  to  be  employed  as  an  interpreter. 
He  even  assisted  in  translating  St.  Mark's  Gospel  into 
Mohawk.  The  correspondence  between  Sir  William 
Johnson  and  Dr.  Wheelock  in  relation  to  the  subject 
of  this  brief  sketch  is  preserved  in  the  Documentary 
History  of  New  York,  and  is  well  worth  perusing.  In 
1763,  Molly  Brant,  moved  by  prejudice  against  the  New 
Englanders,  caused  a  letter  to  be  written  to  Joseph,  in 
Sir  William's  name,  in  which  he  was  requested  to  re 
turn  home.  Dr.  Wheelock  was  much  displeased  at 
this,  and  wrote  a  letter  of  remonstrance  to  Sir  William 
upon  the  subject,  but  it  was  of  no  use.  Sir  William's 
"  housekeeper"  could  not  be  denied,  and  Joseph,  be 
coming  discontented,  came  back  to  take  a  prominent 
position  among  the  Iroquois,  and  to  be  a  powerful 
ally  of  the  Johnsons  and  of  the  crown  of  Great  Britain. 

In  1777  Brant  came  down  from  the  north  with  a 
band  of  his  Mohawks,  and  made  his  head-quarters  at 
Ocquaga  and  Unadilla,  and  at  the  latter  place  General 
Herkimer  sought  and  obtained  an  interview  with  the 
Mohawk  chief,  with  a  view  to  employing  the  influence 
of  a  former  acquaintance  and  an  old  friendship  to  bring 
him  over  to  the  cause  of  the  colonies.  General  Her 
kimer  had  with  him  about  three  hundred  men,  and, 
after  some  ceremonies,  met  Brant  at  Unadilla.  The 
interview  was  civil,  but  fruitless.  Brant  told  the  gen 
eral  that,  for  the  sake  of  old  friendship,  he  would  not 
harm  him.  But  the  chief  was  not  to  be  satisfied  with 
out  displaying  his  force ;  and,  upon  a  signal,  five  hund 
red  warriors  darted  from  their  concealment  and  gave 
the  war-whoop.  The  "  old  neighbors"  then  separated 
to  meet  only  once  more,  and  that  upon  the  battle 
field. 

The  next  wo  hear  of  Brant  ia  at  the  battle  of  Oris- 
D 


74  WYOMING. 

kany,  on  the  6th  of  August.  The  conduct  of  the  In 
dians  and  Tories  toward  the  prisoners  which  fell  into 
their  hands  on  this  occasion  was  marked  by  the  most 
unparalleled  ferocity.  A  surgeon  of  General  Herki- 
mer's  brigade  of  militia,  by  the  name  of  Moses  Young- 
love,  made  an  affidavit,  which  is  now  in  the  office  of  the 
Secretary  of  State,  in  which  he  makes  the  most  terrible 
disclosures.  He  was  made  a  prisoner,  and  was 
"brought  to  Mr.  Butler,  Sen."— Colonel  John  Butler— 
"who  demanded  of  him  what  he  was  fighting  for;  to 
which  he  answered,  '  He  fought  for  the  liberty  that  God 
and  nature  gave  him,  and  to  defend  himself  and  dear 
est  connections  from  the  massacre  of  savages.'  To 
which  Butler  replied,  c  You  are  a  d — d  impudent  reb 
el  */  and,  so  saying,  immediately  turned  to  the  savages, 
encouraging  them  to  kill  him,  and  saying,  if  they  did 
not,  this  deponent  and  the  other  prisoners  should  be 
hanged  on  a  gallows  then  preparing."  "  Six  or  sev 
en"  persons  were  killed  at  one  time,  at  the  instance  of 
a  wounded  Tory.  "  Those  of  the  prisoners  who  were 
delivered  up  to  the  provost  guards  were  kept  without 
victuals  for  many  days,  and  had  neither  clothes,  blan 
kets,  shelter,  nor  fire,  while  the  guards  were  ordered 
not  to  use  any  violence  in  protecting  them  from  the 
savages,  who  came  every  day  in  large  companies,  with 
knives,  feeling  of  the  prisoners  to  know  who  was  fat 
test  ;  that  they  dragged  one  of  the  prisoners  out  of 
the  guard,  with  the  most  lamentable  cries,  tortured  him 
for  a  long  time,  and  this  deponent  was  informed,  by 
both  Tories  and  Indians,  that  they  ate  him,  as  they  did 
another  on  an  island  in  Lake  Ontario,  by  bones  found 
there,  newly  picked,  just  after  they  had  crossed  the 
lake  with  the  prisoners."  St.  Leger  had  offered  twen 
ty  dollars  for  every  American  scalp,  which,  of  course, 


BRANT  AND  HIS  TORY  ASSOCIATES.  75 

furnished  the  Indians  with  a  motive  for  killing  the 
prisoners.  Younglove  was  finally  doomed  to  the  fire, 
and  was  likely  to  be  fed  upon  by  the  savages.  He 
was  fastened  to  a  stake  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  a*nd 
while  preparations  were  being  made  for  the  burning, 
the  bank  providentially  caved  off,  and  he  was  carried 
down  the  angry  current,  and  was  taken  up  far  below 
by  another  party  of  Indians,  who  took  him  to  the 
west,  where  he  was  obliged  to  run  the  gauntlet.  Aft 
er  this  he  was  adopted  by  an  Indian,  put  on  the  In 
dian  habit,  and  remained  among  the  Indians  until  he 
was  exchanged.  Dr.  Younglove  lived  to  old  age,  and 
died  a  few  years  since  in  the  city  of  Hudson,  much  re 
spected.  His  story  is  perfectly  reliable. — See  Camp- 
MTs  Border  Warfare,  p.  114-116. 

Now,  when  these  atrocities  were  perpetrated,  where 
was  Joseph  Brant?  He  was  at  the  head  of  the  In 
dians  who  were  in  the  battle  of  Oriskany,  and  who 
tortured  and  devoured  the  prisoners  there  taken.  If 
he  was  present,  these  barbarous  transactions  were  per 
mitted,  if  not  ordered  by  him ;  but  if  he  left  the  pris 
oners  at  the  disposal  of  the  fiends  whom  he  had  the 
honor  to  command  in  the  battle,  and  simply  retired 
out  of  sight,  the  whole  iniquitous  and  fiendish  system 
of  torture,  and  murder,  and  cannibalism  which  follow 
ed  was  at  least  by  his  connivance,  and  at  his  responsi 
bility.  Dr.  Younglove  in  after  years  published  a  his 
torical  poem,  in  which,  referring  to  Brant,  he  repre 
sents  him  as 

"By  malice  urged  to  every  barbarous  art, 
Of  cruel  temper,  but  of  coward  heart." 

In  1778  the  operations  of  the  royal  forces  on  the 
border  were  put  in  charge  of  Colonel  John  Butler  and 
"Captain  Brant."  Two  projects  were  set  on  foot: 


76  WYOMING. 

one  was  surprising  the  small  garrisons  and  cutting  off 
the  settlements  in  Tryon  County,  and  the  other  the  de 
struction  of  the  settlement  at  Wyoming,  on  the  Sus- 
quehanna.  The  first  of  these  enterprises  was  to  be 
taken  in  hand  by  Brant,  and  the  second  by  Butler. 
Early  in  the  spring  Brant  collected  a  considerable 
force  at  Ocquaga.  The  settlers  at  Unadilla  and  in  the 
neighborhood  removed  to  Cherry  Valley,  and  located 
themselves  within  the  fortification  which  had  been 
raised  by  the  order  of  General  La  Fayette.  Brant, 
with  a  party  of  Indians,  soon  visited  Cherry  Valley, 
with  a  view  to  making  prisoners  of  some  of  the  prin 
cipal  inhabitants.  While  skulking  about  in  the  woods 
he  intercepted  Lieutenant  Wormwood,  and  shot  and 
scalped  him  with  his  own  hand.  Wormwood  was  a 
gallant  young  officer,  and  an  only  son  of  a  respectable 
resident  of  Palatine.  He  had  been  to  Cherry  Valley, 
and  was  on  his  return  home.  The  agonized  father,  as 
he  bent  over  the  mangled  corpse  of  his  beloved  son, 
poured  out  a  flood  of  tears,  exclaiming,  "  Brant !  cruel, 
cruel  Brant!"  After  giving  this  relation,  Mr.  Camp 
bell  remarks,  "  Tears  started  in  many  eyes  which 
scarcely  knew  how  to  weep."  Brant  and  this  young 
officer  had  been  personal  friends,  and  he  is  said  to  have 
lamented  his  death,  having  mistaken  him  for  a  Conti 
nental  officer.  This  was  a  cold-blooded  murder,  in 
whatever  aspect  it  is  regarded,  and  it  was  all  that  Cap 
tain  Brant  achieved  on  this  expedition,  with  the  excep 
tion  of  his  making  a  prisoner  of  Peter  Sitz,  who  was 
in  company  with  Lieutenant  Wormwood. 

In  the  month  of  June,  Brant,  with  a  party,  visited 
Springfield,  burned  the  houses  of  the  inhabitants,  and 
carried  away  several  prisoners.  He  left  the  women 
and  children  in  a  house  to  shift  for  themselves — an  act 


BRANT  AND  HIS  TOBY  ASSOCIATES.  77 

which  has  been  noted  as  an  evidence  of  his  great  hu 
manity.  It  must  be  conceded  that  Brant  did  not  seem 
to  delight  in  torturing  and  murdering  helpless  women 
and  children ;  whether  it  was  because  he  had  a  spark 
of  kindness  in  his  bosom,  or  because  he  considered 
it  mean  and  cowardly,  we  shall  not  attempt  to  de 
termine. 

Captain  Brant  now  concentrated  his  forces  at  Una- 
dilla,  and  received  constant  accessions  of  Tories,  who 
were  more  savage  than  the  savages  themselves.  A  re 
ward  being  offered  to  any  person  who  would  gain  sat 
isfactory  knowledge  of  Brant's  proceedings,  Captain 
M'Kean  volunteered  to  undertake  the  enterprise.  He 
took  with  him  five  brave  men,  and  proceeded  down 
one  of  the  branches  of  the  Susquehanna.  He  came 
upon  the  track  of  the  chief  about  twenty  miles  from 
Cherry  Valley,  in  the  town  of  Laurens.  A  Quaker 
by  the  name  of  Sleeper  informed  him  that  Brant  had 
been  at  his  house  that  day,  with  fifty  men,  and  advised 
him  to  keep  out  of  his  way.  M'Kean,  having  satisfied 
himself  of  the  condition  of  things  in  that  quarter,  re 
turned,  but  not  until  he  had  left  behind  him  evidence 
of  his  visit.  He  wrote  a  letter  to  Brant,  charging  him 
with  his  predatory  and  murderous  incursions  upon  the 
unoffending  settlers,  and  challenging  him  to  single  com 
bat,  or  to  meet,  in  fair  fight,  an  equal  number  of  the 
patriots  with  his  Indians,  telling  him  that  if  he  would 
come  to  Cherry  Valley  they  would  make  him  a  goose — 
referring  to  his  name.  This  letter  he  fastened  in  a 
stick,  and  placed  in  an  Indian  path ;  Brant  received  it, 
and  referred  to  it  subsequently. 

Some  time  in  June,  Brant,  with  four  hundred  In 
dians,  met  a  party  of  regular  troops  and  Schoharie  mi 
litia  on  the  upper  branch  of  the  Cobelskill.  There 


78  WYOMING. 

were  only  forty-five  of  our  men ;  twenty-one  escaped, 
twenty-two  were  killed,  and  two  were  taken  prison 
ers. 

In  July,  a  small  settlement,  situated  west  of  the  Ger 
man  Flats,  was  destroyed  by  Brant.  Some  of  the  peo 
ple  were  murdered,  and  others  were  made  prisoners, 
while  their  goods  were  either  destroyed  or  carried 
away.  In  August,  the  German  Flats  was  visited  by 
the  chief,  with  three  hundred  Tories  and  one  hundred 
and  fifty  Indians,  who  ravaged  the  whole  pountry, 
burning  all  the  buildings,  and  plundering  every  thing 
which  was  movable.  Most  of  the  people  had  taken 
refuge  in  Forts  Herkimer  and  Dayton,  and,  conse 
quently,  no  great  number  of  prisoners  and  scalps  were 
taken. 

Schoharie  and  the  surrounding  settlements  were  the 
objects  of  the  constant  and  persevering  onsets  of  the 
Indians  and  Tories.  Colonel  Yrooman  had  the  com 
mand  of  the  fort  at  Schoharie,  and  was  contented  with 
merely  defending  it,  without  protecting  the  inhabi 
tants.  Colonel  Harper  was  not  satisfied  with  this  mode 
of  proceeding,  and  ran  the  hazard  of  a  journey  alone 
on  horseback  to  Albany  in  quest  of  aid.  He  put  up 
at  a  Tory  tavern  on  Fox's  Creek,  and  locked  his  door. 
Soon  a  loud  rap  at  his  door  alarmed  him.  He  arose, 
and,  placing  his  sword  and  pistols  on  his  bed,  demand 
ed  what  was  wanted.  "  We  want  to  see  Colonel  Har 
per,"  was  the  answer.  He  opened  his  door,  and  four 
Tories  presented  themselves.  "  Step  an  inch  over  that 
mark,  and  you  are  dead  men,"  said  Colonel  Harper. 
After  a  little  conversation,  they  left  the  brave  colonel 
to  himself.  In  the  morning  he  mounted  his  horse  and 
went  on.  An  Indian  followed  him,  whom  Colonel 
Harper  several  times  frightened  out  of  his  purpose  by 


BRANT  AND  HIS  TORY  ASSOCIATES.  79 

presenting  his  pistol.  Upon  representing  to  the  com 
manding  officer  at  Albany  the  distressed  condition  of 
the  people  at  Schoharie,  a  squadron  of  horse  was  im 
mediately  provided,  and,  by  a  forced  march,  lit  upon 
the  enemy  the  next  morning-  "  and  the  first  knowl 
edge  that  the  people  had  that  any  relief  was  expected, 
they  heard  a  tremendous  shrieking  and  yelling ;  and, 
looking  out,  they  saw  Colonel  Harper,  with  his  troop 
of  horse,  welting  up  the  enemy.  The  men  in  the  fort 
rushed  out  and  joined  in  the  attack,  and  the  country 
was  soon  cleared  of  the  enemy." — Campbell, 

Mr.  Campbell  publishes  an  "  exact  transcript"  of  a 
letter  from  Brant,  which  is  quite  characteristic,  and  has 
some  historical  importance.  We  here  give  it  in  full : 

"Tunadilla,  July  9,  1778. 

"SiR, — I  understand  by  the  Indians  that  was  at 
your  house  last  week,  that  one  Smith  lives  near  with 
you,  has  little  more  corn  to  spare.  I  should  be  much 
obliged  to  you,  if  you  would  be  so  kind  as  to  try  to 
get  as  much  corn  as  Smith  can  spare ;  he  has  sent  me 
five  skipples  already,  of  which  I  am  much  obliged  to 
him,  and  will  see  him  paid,  and  would  be  very  glad 
if  you  could  spare  one  or  two  of  your  men  to  join  us, 
especially  Elias.  I  would  be  glad  to  see  him,  and  I 
wish  you  could  send  me  as  many  guns  you  have,  as  I 
know  you  have  no  use  for  them,  if  you  have  any ;  as 
I  mean  now  to  fight  the  cruel  rebels  as  well  as  I  can : 
whatever  you  will  able  to  sent'd  me  you  must  sent'd 
by  the  bearer. 

"  I  am  your  sincere  friend  and  humble  servant, 

"  JOSEPH  BRANT. 

"To  Mr.  Carr. 

"  P.S. — I  heard  that  Cherry  Valley  people  is  very 


80  WYOMING. 

bold,  and  intended  to  make  nothing  of  us ;    they  call 
us  wild  geese,  but  I  know  the  contrary. 

"  Jos.  B." 

Captain  Walter  1ST.  Butler  owed  the  Tryon  County 
patriots  a  special  spite  on  account  of  his  imprisonment 
in  Albany,  an  account  of  which  we  have  given  in  an 
other  connection ;  and,  by  way  of  taking  vengeance 
upon  them,  he  planned  an  expedition  against  Cherry 
Valley.  He  procured  from  his  father,  Colonel  John 
Butler,  the  command  of  a  portion  of  his  regiment,  call 
ed  "Butler's  Bangers,"  together  with  the  liberty  of 
employing  the  Indians  who  were  under  the  command 
of  Brant.  Captain  Butler  took  up  the  line  of  march 
early  in  November,  and  met  Brant,  with  his  men,  on 
their  way  to  Niagara  for  winter  quarters.  At  first 
Brant  was  indignant  at  being  made  second  to  Walter 
Butler,  and  refused  to  join  the  expedition.  Matters 
were,  however,  pacified  between  the  Indian  and  the 
Tory,  and  they  proceeded.  Colonel  Alden,  who  had 
command  of  the  fort  at  Cherry  Valley,  was  repeatedly 
admonished  of  the  probability  of  an  attack  by  the  In 
dians  and  Tories,  but  he  regarded  the  event  as  wholly 
improbable,  and  took  no  precautions  against  it.  On 
the  eleventh,  the  enemy  stole  upon  the  town  early  in 
the  morning,  in  a  snow-storm,  and  took  the  place 
by  surprise.  The  officers  were  quartered  in  private 
houses,  and  the  wily  foe,  having  learned  their  locali 
ties  by  a  prisoner,  sent  forward  separate  parties  to  sur 
round  the  houses  and  take  them.  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Stacy  was  made  a  prisoner ;  and  Colonel  Alden  made 
his  escape  from  the  house,  and  was  pursued,  tomahawk 
ed,  and  scalped.  He  was  one  of  the  first  victims  of  his 
criminal  skepticism  and  consequent  neglect  of  duty. 


BRANT  AND   HIS  TORY  ASSOCIATES.  81 

The  enemy  now  rushed  upon  the  citizens,  and  com 
menced  an  indiscriminate  murder  of  men,  women,  and 
children.  Female  helplessness,  infantile  innocence,  or 
entire  neutrality  in  the  struggle  was  no  defense  against 
the  savage  Indians  and  the  still  more  savage  Tories. 
The  Wells  family,  who  had  been  entirely  neutral,  male 
and  female,  old  and  young,  with  the  exception  of  a 
boy  who  was  not  at  home,  were  all  destroyed.  A 
Tory  boasted  that  he  shot  Mr.  "Wells  when  he  was  at 
prayer.  Eev.  Mr.  Dunlop,  an  old  gentleman,  was  made 
a  prisoner,  and  robbed  of  his  wig  and  a  portion  of  his 
clothing,  and  was  hurried  offj  shivering  with  the  cold. 
A  few  were  reserved  for  the  purpose  of  exchange; 
among  these  were  the  wife  of  Colonel  Campbell  and 
his  four  children.  The  town  was  fired,  and  was  soon 
reduced  to  a  heap  of  smouldering  ruins. 

The  historians  record  some  generous  acts  on  the 
part  of  Brant  on  this  occasion.  He  interfered  in  be 
half  of  some  women  and  children,  and  prevented  their 
massacre.  "On  the  day  of  the  massacre  he  inquired 
of  some  of  the  prisoners  where  his  friend  Captain 
M'Kean  was.  They  informed  him  that  he  had  prob 
ably  gone  to  the  Mohawk  Eiver  with  his  family.  '  He 
sent  me  a  challenge  once,'  said  Brant;  'I  have  now 
come  to  accept  it.  He  is  a  fine  soldier  thus  to  retreat.' 
They  answered,  '  Captain  M'Kean  would  not  turn  his 
back  upon  an  enemy  when  there  was  any  probability 
of  success.'  'I  know  it;  he  is  a  brave  man,  and  I 
would  have  given  more  to  have  taken  him  than  any 
other  man  in  Cherry  Valley,  but  I  would  not  have 
hurt  a  hair  of  his  head.' " — Campbell.  It  has  been 
supposed  that  the  humanity  of  Brant  on  this  occasion 
was  a  mere  ruse,  to  show  off  by  contrast  the  savage 
barbarity  of  Butler,  against  whom  he  harbored  a  preju- 


82  WYOMING. 

dice,  and  this  seems  to  us  by  no  means  an  uncharita 
ble  conclusion. 

The  diabolical  malice  of  "Walter  1ST.  Butler  had  no 
bounds.  He  was  so  thoroughly  determined  to  make 
a  clean  riddance  of  all  the  "rebels,"  that  numbers  of 
neutrals  and  some  of  the  friends  of  the  royal  cause 
were  cut  to  pieces,  lest  some  of  the  "  rebels,"  under 
the  false  pretense  of  neutrality  or  friendship,  should 
escape.  He  acted  upon  the  maxim  that  it  was  better 
to  destroy  friends  than  to  let  enemies  escape. — See 
Campbell,  p.  144. 

The  garrison  held  out,  and  a  re-enforcement  of  two 
hundred  militia,  on  the  day  following,  drove  the  scat 
tering  parties  of  Indians  and  Tories  from  the  neigh 
borhood.  They  kept  their  position  until  the  next  sum 
mer,  when  they  joined  General  Clinton  in  his  march 
into  the  Indian  country  with  General  Sullivan. 

Cherry  Valley  was  a  scene  of  desolation,  and  exhib 
ited  every  where  the  saddest  mementoes  of  heartless 
cruelty.  Mr.  Campbell  says :  "  The  mangled  remains 
of  those  who  had  been  killed  were  brought  in,  and  re 
ceived  as  decent  an  interment  as  circumstances  would 
permit.  The  most  wanton  acts  of  cruelty  had  been 
committed,  but  the  detail  is  too  horrible,  and  I  will  not 
pursue  it  further.  The  whole  settlement  exhibited  an 
aspect  of  entire  and  complete  desolation.  The  cocks 
crew  from  the  tops  of  the  forest  trees,  and  the  dogs 
howled  through  the  fields  and  woods.  The  inhab 
itants  who  escaped,  with  the  prisoners  who  were  set  at 
liberty,  abandoned  the  settlement." 

Some  of  those  scenes  we  often  heard  described  in  our 
childhood  by  those  who  witnessed  them.  "We  were 
raised  in  old  Tryon  County,  in  Middlefield,  equidistant 
from  Cherry  Valley  and  Cooperstown.  The  settlement 


BRANT  AND  HIS  TORY  ASSOCIATES.  83 

in  Middlefield,  then  called  "Newtown  Martin,"  was  de 
stroyed,  and  the  people  scattered.  Some  of  them  lived 
to  return  and  spend  the  remainder  of  their  lives  on  the 
soil  which  had  been  stained  with  the  blood  of  their  rel 
atives  and  neighbors.  Old  Mrs.  Writer — who  used  to 
be  called  "  Aunt  Eecter" — once  related  to  our  excel 
lent  mother,  while  we  sat  by  her  side,  the  story  of  her 
captivity  and  sufferings.  She  was  stripped  of  all  her 
clothing  except  her  chemise  and  under-skirt.  There 
was  a  most  beautiful  girl  of  her  acquaintance  who  was 
the  admiration  of  all.  As  Mrs.  Writer  —  then  Miss 
Cook — was  hurried  along  by  her  captors,  she  saw  a 
stout  Indian  cut  the  throat  of  the  beautiful  girl  refer 
red  to  a  few  steps  before  her.  As  she  passed  she  saw 
her  in  her  death-struggle.  Her  nose,  her  ears,  her  eye 
lids,  and  her  breasts  were  cut  off,  and  her  rosy  cheeks 
were  deeply  gashed.  All  this  barbarous  mangling  of 
the  poor  girl  was  inflicted  while  she  was  alive,  as  a 
matter  of  sport  and  derision.  Could  fiends  have  de 
vised  deeds  of  such  abominable  atrocity  ? 

When  the  company  encamped  a  large  belt  of  scalps 
was  brought  to  her,  and  she  was  ordered  to  dress  them, 
being  instructed  by  the  squaws.  The  process  consist 
ed  in  stretching  them  —  spatting  them  between  her 
hands,  and  then  laying  them  out  to  dry.  Every  scalp, 
as  she  took  it  up,  reminded  her  of  some  friend  or  ac 
quaintance.  She  finally  took  up  one  which  she  thought 
was  her  mother's.  It  was  the  scalp  of  a  .female,  and 
she  almost  knew  to  a  certainty  that  it  was  covered 
with  the  very  hair  which  she  had  so  often  combed  and 
dressed.  She  wept ;  but  the  lifted  tomahawk,  and  ma 
nipulations  which  indicated  that  her  own  scalp  would 
soon  come  off,  dried  up  her  tears.  Her  mother,  how 
ever,  had  not  been  killed.  She  lived  to  a  great  age, 


84  WYOMING. 

and  died  near  the  head  of  Otsego  Lake.  She  was  call 
ed  "  Aunt  Molly  M'Allum,"  and  Mrs.  Writer  was  half 
sister  to  Daniel  M'Allum,  the  captive  boy  of  whom  we 
have  elsewhere  spoken. 

Colonel  Campbell,  whose  wife  and  children  were 
made  prisoners  by  Butler  and  Brant,  in  our  childhood 
we  often  saw  on  horseback,  on  his  way  to  and  from 
Cooperstown,  or  upon  a  visit  to  his  sons,  two  of  whom, 
William  and  Samuel,  lived  in  Middlefield;  and  one 
thing  we  remember,  especially,  attracted  our  attention  : 
when  we  doffed  our  hat  and  made  our  best  bow  to 
the  colonel  as  he  passed,  he  always  made  a  graceful 
bow  in  return.  His  son,  Dr.  William  Campbell,  was 
a  most  estimable  man  and  a  polished  gentleman.  He 
was  the  uncle  of  Honorable  William  W.  Campbell,  the 
historian  of  Tryon  County.  This  brief  paragraph  of 
personal  matters  we  hope  will  be  excused,  as  it  may 
not  be  considered  wholly  out  of  place. 

In  1779  we  find  Colonel  Butler  and  Brant  opposing 
General  Sullivan,  and  decently  whipped  on  the  Che- 
mung.  The  Tory  and  the  Indian  chief  fled  to  Niagara 
to  get  out  of  harm's  way  for  that  time,  and  to  prepare 
for  another  marauding  expedition  when  occasion  might 
offer.  The  massacres  of  Wyoming  and  Cherry  Yalley 
were  amply  avenged.  The  Indians  who  were  collect 
ed  about  Niagara  in  the  winter  of  1779-80,  having  lost 
all  their  crops  in  the  lake  country,  and  having  none 
but  salt  provisions,  a  thing  to  which  they  were  not  ac 
customed,  died  of  scurvy  in  great  numbers. 

In  August,  1781,  Major  Eoss  and  Walter  Butler 
came  down  from  Canada  into  the  Mohawk  Yalley 
with  six  hundred  and  seven  Tories  and  Indians.  Colo 
nels  Willett  and  Harper  met  them  near  Johnstown  with 
about  five  hundred  militia,  and  put  them  to  rout.  The 


BKANT  AND  HIS  TORY  ASSOCIATES.  85 

retreating  Indian  and  Tory  army  fled  to  the  northwest. 
Ross,  with  a  portion  of  his  men,  escaped,  but  Butler 
was  not  so  fortunate.  He  was  pursued  by  a  company 
of  Oneida  Indians,  and  on  coming  to  West  Canada 
Creek,  about  fifteen  miles  from  the  village  of  Herki- 
mer,  he  swam  his  horse,  and,  upon  reaching  the  shore, 
he  turned  his  back  upon  his  pursuers,  who  had  just 
come  up  to  the  creek,  and  defiantly  and  insultingly 
slapped  his  hip,  when  one  of  the  party  took  deliberate 
aim,  and  brought  the  vaunting  Tory  to  the  ground. 
The  Indian  dropped  his  rifle  and  blanket  and  swam 
the  creek,  and  on  coming  up  to  Butler  he  found  him 
wounded.  He  now  craved  the  mercy  which  he  had 
so  often  denied  to  helpless  women  and  children — he 
most  piteously  begged  for  his  life ;  but  the  Indian  war 
rior  sprang  upon  him  like  a  tiger,  and  with  his  lifted 
tomahawk,  shouted  out,  "  Sherry  Yalley — remember 
Sherry  Yalley !"  and  he  buried  his  tomahawk  in  his 
brains,  and  tore  his  scalp  from  his  head  while  his  death- 
struggle  was  upon  him.  The  miserable  man  might 
well  have  died  with  the  words  of  Adonibezeck  in  his 
mouth,  "  As  I  have  done,  so  hath  Grod  requited  me." 
He  had  no  burial,  but  his  body  was  left  to  rot  above 
ground,  or  to  be  devoured  by  wild  beasts.  The  place 
where  he  crossed  the  creek  is  called  "Butler's  Ford" 
to  this  day.  This  was  the  last  incursion  made  into 
Tryon  County,  and  it  had  a  very  appropriate  winding 
up  in  the  death,  by  the  hand  of  an  Indian,  of  one  of 
the  most  cruel  of  the  class  of  white  men  who  stimu 
lated  the  Indians  to  the  diabolical  cruelties  perpetra 
ted  on  the  frontier. 

Colonel  Stone,  in  his  "  Border  Wars,"  has  preserved 
a  letter  from  Walter  Butler  vindicating  himself,  and 
his  father,  and  the  Indians  too — why  did  he  not  in- 


86  WYOMING. 

elude  the  Tories  ? — from  the  charge  of '  *  cruelties. ' '  The 
letter  is  directed  to  General  Clinton,  and  is  dated  "Ni 
agara,  February  18, 1779."  In  this  letter  Captain  But 
ler  says,  "We  deny  any  cruelties  to  have  been  com 
mitted  at  Wyoming,  either  by  whites  or  Indians."  He 
rests  his  vindication  upon  the  fact  that  "  not  a  man, 
woman,  or  child  was  hurt  after  the  capitulation,  or  a 
woman  or  child  before  it,  and  none  taken  into  captiv 
ity."  Now  what  does  all  this  prove,  more  than  that 
the  "  cruelties"  attending  the  Wyoming  massacre  might 
have  been  greater  than  they  were?  How  many  men  were 
cruelly  tortured  the  day  before  "  the  capitulation  ?" 
The  apology  seems  to  proceed  upon  the  ground  that 
the  cold-blooded  torture  of  "  men  in  arms"  is  not  cruel, 
especially  if  it  took  place  before  "  the  capitulation." 
What  was  the  reason  that  none  were  tortured  "  after 
the  capitulation?"  Simply  because  there  were  none 
left,  or  next  to  none,  to  torture.  Captain  Butler  avoids 
the  points  of  complaint.  These  are,  1.  That  the  pris 
oners  taken  upon  the  battle-field  were  tortured  by  the 
Indians,  or  barbarously  murdered,  in  cold  blood,  by 
the  Tories.  2.  That  the  defenseless  people  in  the  fort, 
women  and  children  not  excepted,  were  plundered  of 
their  food  and  clothing,  and  left  to  perish  with  hunger 
and  exposure.  And,  finally,  that  the  articles  of  capitu 
lation  were  wholly  and  cruelly  disregarded  before  Colo 
nel  Butler  had  left  the  ground. 

Next,  Captain  Butler  proceeds  to  vindicate  himself 
and  the  Indians  from  the  charge  of  "cruelties"  at 
"  Cherry  Valley ;"  and  his  principal  justification  is — 
for  here  he  does  not  deny  the  facts — that  "  Colonel 
Denison  and  his  people  appeared  again  in  arms,  with 
Colonel  Hartley,  after  a  solemn  capitulation  and  en 
gagement  not  to  bear  arms  during  the  war."  Here 


BRANT  AND  HIS  TORY  ASSOCIATES.  87 

the  vindication  wholly  ignores  the  fact  that  the  capit 
ulation  was  made  a  nullity  by  Colonel  Butler,  and,  of 
course,  was  not  obligatory  on  the  other  party. 

"We  shall  not  farther  tax  the  reader's  time  and  pa 
tience  with  refutations  of  the  sophisms  of  this  famous 
letter.  Colonel  Stone,  in  the  largeness  of  his  charity, 
calls  it  a  "  straightforward,  manly  letter."  "We  regard 
it  as  a  "straightforward"  evasion,  with  nothing  "man 
ly"  about  it.  The  bad  temper  and  barefaced  falsehoods 
of  the  letter  constitute  another  illustration,  in  addition 
to  the  many  which  the  histories  record,  of  the  coward 
ly  cruelty  and  meanness  of  "Walter  1ST.  Butler,  one  of 
the  Tory  leaders  in  the  border  wars.  Brant,  although 
bad  enough — ay,  quite  too  bad  for  endurance — was 
almost  a  saint  when  compared  with  the  younger  But 
ler.  Thanks  to  his  imprisonment  in  Albany  that  the 
Wyoming  massacre  was  not  aggravated  by  manifold 
more  horrors  than  it  has  been  our  painful  task  to  record. 

WAS  BRANT  AT  THE  WYOMING   MASSACRE? 

The  question  of  Brant's  presence  at  the  battle  of 
Wyoming  has  been  much  discussed  and  differently  de 
cided.  An  impression  that  Brant  was  at  the  head  of 
the  Indians  on  that  occasion  has  long  been  strong  and 
quite  general  among  the  people  of  Wyoming — the  im 
pression  originating  from  the  old  settlers  and  actors  in 
that  fatal  and  ill-advised  encounter.  Mr.  Chapman, 
the  first  historian  of  Wyoming,  in  accordance  with  the 
popular  tradition,  asserts  Brant's  presence  and  lead  on 
the  occasion.  Mr.  Campbell,  the  historian  of  Tryon 
County,  takes  the  same  view  of  the  question ;  while 
Thomas  Campbell,  the  poet,  with  our  own  poets,  Hal- 
leek  and  Whittier,  poetize  in  the  same  direction.  The 
able  biographer  of  Brant — Colonel  Stone — takes  the 


88  WYOMING. 

other  side  of  the  question ;  while  Mr.  Miner  presents 
reasons  pro  and  con,  and  leaves  his  readers  to  judge  of 
their  force  for  themselves. 

Colonel  Stone  rests  the  cause  upon  the  denial  of 
Brant,  and  the  credibility  of  Indian  and  Tory  witnesses. 
It  seems  rather  strange  that  the  ingenious  author  did 
not  address  himself  to  the  task  of  proving  an  alibi,  a 
thing  which  it  may  be  supposed  was  very  possible  at 
the  time  he  collected  his  materials.  John  Franklin 
once  said  in  relation  to  Colonel  Stone's  witnesses, 
"  You  won't  make  such  witnesses  believed  in  old  Wy 
oming  :  people  there  would  take  their  lives,  but  never 
the  words  of  Indians  and  Tories."  The  argument  of 
the  too  partial  biographer  of  Brant  was  also  questioned 
by  others  besides  the  people  of  "  old  Wyoming."  A 
review  of  "  The  Life  of  Brant"  in  the  Democratic  Re 
view,  supposed  to  have  been  written  by  the  Hon.  Caleb 
Gushing,  controverts  the  author's  positions,  and  shows 
their  inconclusiveness.  In  1846,  in  an  article  in  the 
Methodist  Quarterly,  we  took  the  same  ground. 

It  is  reasonable  to  ask  where  Brant  was  on  the  3d 
of  July,  1778,  if  he  was  not,  as  usual,  at  Colonel  John 
Butler's  elbow.  He  was  with  him  the  previous  year 
at  the  battle  of  Oriskany,  and  the  year  following  on 
the  Chemung,  when  General  Sullivan  marched  into 
the  lake  country.  They  were  often  united  in  border 
warfare,  Butler  commanding  the  Tories,  and  Brant  the 
Indians.  These  questions  are  entitled  to  fair  consid 
eration  and  a  satisfactory  answer,  and  we  shall  now 
look  at  them  with  candor. 

After  much  examination  of  the  subject,  we  have 
reached  the  conclusion  that  during  the  entire  summer 
of  1778  Brant  was  in  the  Valley  of  the  Mohawk  and 
on  the  head  waters  of  the  Susquehanna — at  his  head- 


BRANT  AND  HIS  TORY  ASSOCIATES.  89 

quarters  at  Ocquaga  or  Unadilla,  and,  consequently, 
that  he  was  not  in  the  Yalley  of  Wyoming  at  the  time 
of  the  battle.  In  June  the  historians  tell  us  that  Brant 
and  his  Indians  burned  the  settlement  at  Springfield, 
near  the  head  of  Otsego  Lake. 

Taking  another  step  in.  advance,  we  certainly  find 
Brant  at  Unadilla  on  the  9th  of  July,  from  an  authen 
tic  letter  of  his  published  by  Mr.  Campbell,  which  we 
have  copied  above.  This  letter  relates  to  supplies  for 
his  men,  and  acknowledges  the  receipt  of  corn  from  a 
Mr.  Smith.  We  will  now  connect  this  fact  with  an 
other.  C.  L.  Ward,  Esq.,  in  an  address  delivered  at 
the  Pioneer  Festival  held  in  Owego  on  the  22d  of 
February,  1855,  asserted  that  the  younger  Brant  had 
shown  him  "  a  receipt,  in  the  handwriting  of  his  fa 
ther,  for  money  paid  for  corn  and  other  provisions, 
dated  on  the  5th  day  of  July,  1778,  two  days  after  the 
battle,  and  while  the  British  forces  were  in  Wyoming." 
This  receipt  harmonizes  exactly  with  the  letter  to  Pur- 
sifer  Carr,  dated  the  9th,  which  refers  to  transactions 
of  the  same  class.  It  may  farther  be  observed  that 
Unadilla  is  the  only  locality  where  Brant  would  be 
likely  to  purchase  supplies  for  his  men  at  the  date 
of  the  receipt.  There  he  had  his  head-quarters,  and 
when  he  visited  other  places  he  plundered  provisions 
in  abundance,  and  was  under  no  necessity  of  purchas 
ing  of  Tories.  The  chief  could  not  have  come  from 
Wyoming  after  the  battle  on  the  3d  in  time  to  be  in 
negotiation  for  supplies  in  Unadilla  on  the  5th.  The 
facts  above  established  quite  conclusively  prove  the 
alibi. 

We  next  refer  to  a  dispatch  from  Colonel  Guy 
Johnson  to  Lord  George  Germaine,  dated  New  York, 
10th  September,  1778.  The  following  is  the  por- 


90  WYOMING. 

tion  of  the  dispatch,  which  relates  to  the  question  in 
hand: 

"Your  lordship  will  have  heard  before  this  can 
reach  you  of  the  successful  incursions  of  the  Indians 
and  Loyalists  from  the  northward.  In  conformity  to 
the  instructions  I  conveyed  to  my  officers,  they  assem 
bled  their  force  early  in  May,  and  one  division,  under 
one  of  my  deputies  (Mr.  Butler),  proceeded  down  the 
Susquehanna,  destroying  the  forts  and  settlements  at 
Wyoming,  augmenting  their  number  with  many  Loy 
alists,  and  alarming  all  the  country,  while  another  di 
vision,  under  Mr.  Brant,  the  Indian  chief,  cut  off  294 
men  near  Schoharie,  and  destroyed  the  adjacent  set 
tlements,  with  several  magazines  from  whence  the  reb 
els  had  derived  great  resources,  thereby  affording  en 
couragement  and  opportunity  to  many  friends  of  gov 
ernment  to  join  them." — Documents  relating  to  the  Colo 
nial  History  of  the  State  of  New  York,  vol.  viii.,  p.  752. 

This  dispatch  shows  clearly  that  Brant  led  the  In 
dians  in  the  incursions  upon  the  settlements  in  the  Mo 
hawk  Yalley  and  on  the  head  waters  of  the  Susque 
hanna,  while  Butler  made  his  raid  upon  Wyoming. 
Brant  must  consequently  be  identified  with  the  hostile 
movements  of  the  Indians  and  Tories  which  we  have 
sketched  above.  There  was,  indeed,  so  far  as  we  have 
yet  been  able  to  ascertain,  no  one  engagement  in  which 
that  "chief  cut  off  294  men"  during  the  space  of  time 
embraced  in  Colonel  Johnson's  dispatch.  The  colo 
nel  must  embrace  all  the  persons  killed  in  the  small 
actions  which  occurred  in  the  Mohawk  Yalley,  and  all 
the  murders  of  the  savages  committed  through  the  va 
rious  settlements  during  the  months  of  June,  July,  and 
August.  The  colonel's  dispatch  was  probably  based 
upon  a  report  from  Brant  of  the  number  of  scalps 


BRANT  AND   HIS  TORY   ASSOCIATES.  91 

taken  during  the  summer :  if  this  is  not  the  explana 
tion  of  the  matter,  we  are  at  present  unable  to  give 
any  that  would  be  likely  to  be  satisfactory. 

This  document  clearly  proves  that  Brant  was  in  the 
Valley  of  the  Mohawk  while  Butler  was  in  the  Valley 
of  Wyoming. 

Another  fact  we  have  to  adduce  is  that  of  a  certifi 
cate  of  protection,  given  to  one  of  the  settlers,  dated 
"Westmoreland,  July  5th,  1778,"  and  signed  by  "  John 
Butler"  and  "  Kayenguaurton."  Colonel  Butler  varies 
the  orthography  of  this  name,  probably  from  mere  care 
lessness,  and  we  have  followed  him.  Colonel  Stone 
and  Mr.  Lossing  give  us  the  name  of  this  chief  thus — 
"  Gi-en-gwa-toh,  which  signifies,  He  who  goes  in  the 
smoke"  Butler  styles  himself  "  Superintendent  of  the 
Six  Nations,"  and  his  associate  is  called  "  the  Chief  of 
the  Seneca  Nation."  The  name  of  the  chief  is  evident 
ly  written  by  Colonel  Butler,  but  the  outlines  of  a  tur 
tle — A\r — a^  ^ne  1^  °f  the  name,  signifying  that  the 

chief  belonged  to  the  turtle  tribe  of  the  Seneca  nation, 
was  probably  executed  by  the  chief  himself. 

This  document  has  every  internal  evidence  of  au 
thenticity.  We  have  examined  it  with  great  care,  and 
have  no  doubt  of  its  having  been  written  by  Colonel 
Butler  at  the  date  which  it  bears,  and  signed,  so  far  as 
he  was  able  to  sign  it,  by  the  chief  who  led  on  the  In 
dians  in  the  battle.  It  is  in  the  hands  of  a  literary 
friend,  who  kindly  allowed  us  to  examine  it.  No  one 
will  doubt  that  if  Joseph  Brant  had  been  the  leader  of 
the  Indians  on  the  occasion  of  the  battle,  his  name 
would  have  been  attached  to  the  document  in  his  own 
handwriting. 

Finally,  we  adduce  the  report  of  Colonel  John  But- 


92  WYOMING. 

ler  to  Colonel  Bolton,  never  before  published,  as  in  it 
self  absolutely  conclusive.  In  this  report  he  says  the 
Indians  were  led  on  by  a  Seneca  chief  by  the  name  of 
Oucingeracton. 

For  these  reasons,  each  of  which  alone  is  sufficient 
to  satisfy  any  unprejudiced  mind,  we  hope  it  will  be 
considered  as  settled  that  Brant  had  no  part  in  the 
Wyoming  massacre. 

The  historians  generally,  both  English  and  Amer 
ican,  set  down  "  the  famous  Mohawk  chief  Brant"  as 
the  ferocious  leader  of  the  Indians  at  the  "Wyoming 
massacre,  and,  so  far  as  appears,  Brant  took  no  pains 
to  correct  the  general  impression.  Thomas  Campbell, 
the  poet,  in  his  Gertrude,  in  the  lines  at  the  head  of 
this  sketch,  assumes  the  truth  of  the  tale,  and  calls  the 
chief  "  the  monster  Brant."  After  the  war  had  closed, 
Brant  settled  in  Canada,  and  died  there.  In  1822,  his 
son,  "John  Brant,  Esq.,  of  Grand  Kiver,"  visited  En 
gland,  and  made  it  a  point  to  convince  the  poet  that 
his  father  was  not  at  Wyoming  at  all,  and  that,  instead 
of  being  a  "  monster,"  he  was  a  humane,  brave,  and  a 
magnanimous  foe.  The  first  point  he  doubtless  estab 
lished,  and  the  second  the  poet  conceded,  albeit,  after 
yielding  to  the  proof,  he  proceeds  to  refute  it.  Mr. 
Campbell,  the  historian,  publishes  the  letter  of  Mr. 
Campbell,  the  poet,  to  John  Brant,  Esq.,  in  his  Appen 
dix.  We  would  copy  this  letter  if  it  were  not  that  its 
length  and  the  irrelevancy  of  the  greater  portion  of  it 
make  it  inexpedient.  The  letter  is  dated  "London, 
January,  1822."  It  acknowledges  the  receipt  of  cer 
tain  "  documents"  forwarded  by  Mr.  John  Brant,  and 
proceeds  in  an  apologetic  strain,  of  which  the  follow 
ing  brief  paragraph  may  be  considered  as  an  expres 
sion  of  the  spirit,  and  as  an  exponent  of  the  sense : 


BRANT  AND  HIS  TOBY  ASSOCIATES.  93 

"  In  short,  I  imbibed  my  conception  of  your  father 
from  accounts  of  him  that  were  published  when  I  was 
scarcely  out  of  my  cradle.  And  if  there  were  any 
public,  direct,  and. specific  challenge  to  those  accounts 
in  England  ten  years  ago,  I  am  yet  to  learn  where 
they  existed." 

Now  we  yield  the  point  of  Brant's  immediate  con 
nection  with  the  Wyoming  massacre,  but  we  are  sorry 
not  to  be  able  as  fully  to  yield  to  the  claim  made  for 
him  in  certain  quarters  to  more  than  common  human 
ity  and  magnanimity.  Little  more  evidence  is  needed 
to  put  those  claims  into  doubt  than  the  facts  presented 
in  Colonel  Stone's  apologetic  life  of  the  great  Mohawk 
chief.  The  "cruelties"  perpetrated  in  the  Mohawk 
Yalley  during  the  years  1777  and  1778,  where  Brant 
was  continually  present,  and  where  he  was  the  presid 
ing  genius,  are,  if  possible,  more  revolting  than  those 
perpetrated  at  Wyoming.  In  Wyoming  the  women 
and  children  were  not  murdered  after  the  capitulation 
of  the  fort,  but  in  Cherry  Yalley  no  sex  or  age  was 
spared.  We  are  aware  that  it  is  said  that  Walter  But 
ler  had  command  on  that  occasion.  Yes,  and  Walter 
Butler  says  that  "  the  Indians"  perpetrated  the  "  cruel 
ties"  at  Cherry  Yalley,  for  the  reason  that,  "  being 
charged  by  their  enemies  with  what  they  never  had 
done,  and  threatened  by  them,  they  had  determined  to 
convince  you  that  it  was  not  fear  which  had  prevent 
ed  them."  Now,  as  each  party  accuses  the  other,  and 
no  one  doubts  but  both  had  a  part  in  those  "  cruelties," 
it  is  but  historical  justice  to  divide  the  responsibili 
ties  between  them.  In  fact,  the  steps  of  Brant,  wher 
ever  he  went,  were  red  with  the  blood,  not  only  of 
men,  but  of  "women  and  children."  He  sometimes 
did  spare  them,  but  at  other  times  he  did  not;  and, 


94  WYOMING. 

indeed,  the  former  was  the  exception,  and  the  latter  the 
rule. 

What,  then,  is  -gained  by  the  friends  of  the  chief 
when  they  have  proved  that  he  was  not  at  the  Wy 
oming  massacre?  Absolutely  nothing;  for  his  Mo 
hawks  and  Tories  were  engaged  in  the  same,  and  even 
greater  u  cruelties,"  in  the  valley  of  the  Mohawk,  and 
upon  the  head  waters  of  the  Susquehanna  and  the  Del 
aware  at  the  same  time,  and  during  the  remainder  of 
the  war. 

It  will  not  be  unfair  now  to  direct  the  attention  of 
the  reader  to  a  few  instances  of  Brant's  "cruelties." 

The  first  instance  we  would  refer  to  is  the  murder 
of  his  former  friend,  Lieutenant  Wormwood,  an  ac 
count  of  which  we  have  given. 

Another  instance  is  related  by  Mr.  Campbell,  as  fol 
lows  :  "  He  often  said  that,  during  the  war,  he  had 
killed  but  one  man  in  cool  blood,  and  that  act  he  ever 
after  regretted.  He  said  he  had  taken  a  man  prisoner, 
and  was  examining  him ;  the  prisoner  hesitated,  and, 
as  he  thought,  equivocated.  Enraged  at  what  he  con 
sidered  obstinacy,  he  struck  him  down.  It  turned  out 
that  the  man's  apparent  obstinacy  arose  from  a  natural 
hesitancy  of  speech."  This  case  is  distinctly  described 
and  specially  marked. 

Still  another  instance  is  clearly  distinguished  from 
the  foregoing.  It  is  related  by  Mr.  Weld,  a  European 
traveler.  In  a  skirmish  with  a  body  of  American  troops 
Brant  was  wounded  in  the  heel,  but  the  Americans,  in 
the  end,  were  defeated,  and  an  officer  taken  prisoner. 
The  officer,  after  having  delivered  up  his  sword,  en 
tered  into  conversation  with  Sir  John  Johnson,  when 
Brant  stole  slyly  behind  them  and  laid  the  officer  low 
with  a  blow  of  his  hatchet.  Sir  John  was  indignant, 


BKANT  AND  HIS  TORY  ASSOCIATES.  95 

and  lie  resented  the  treachery  in  the  warmest  terms. 
Brant  listened  to  him  without  concern,  and,  when  he 
had  concluded,  told  him  that  he  was^orry  for  his  dis 
pleasure,  but  that  his  heel  was  exceedingly  painful  at 
the  moment,  but,  since  he  had  avenged  himself  upon 
the  only  chief  of  the  party  which  they  had  taken,  it 
was  much  less  painful  than  it  had  been  before. — See 
Border  Warfare,  p.  249,  250. 

Mr.  Campbell  had  heard  another  version  of  this  story, 
in  which  "  it  was  stated  that  an  officer  was  killed  to 
prevent  his  being  retaken  by  the  Americans,  who  were 
in  pursuit  of  the  Indians."  This  story  which  the  his 
torian  had  heard  may  have  been  another  instance  still 
of  Brant's  cruelty,  for  it  differs  from  either  of  the  pre 
ceding  relations.  Indeed,  the  three  descriptions  above 
given  can  not  be  different  versions  of  the  same  fact. 
The  reasons  for  the  murder  are  unlike  each  other,  and 
are  wholly  incompatible,  and  the  circumstances  are 
equally  various  and  inconsistent  with  the  idea  of  their 
having  occurred  in  the  self-same  case.  It  is  in  vain 
to  try  to 

"Wash  the  Ethiop  white." 

One  cold-blooded,  unprovoked  murder  is  enough  to 
characterize  a  moral  "monster" — many  acts  of  the 
same  class  certainly  do  not  relieve  the  case.  "We  may 
judge  the  conduct  of  the  chief  too  severely.  Of  this 
the  reader  will  make  up  his  mind  in  view  of  all  the 
facts.  All  we  aim  at  is  historical  justice ;  and  this,  at 
all  hazards,  we  shall  labor  to  secure. 

Colonel  John  Butler,  when  the  Eevolutionary  strug 
gle  came  on,  was  a  government  functionary  under  Sir 
"William  Johnson,  and  after  Sir  William's  death  he  be 
came  warmly  attached  to  Sir  John  and  Colonel  Gruy 
Johnson.  When  he  fled  with  the  Johnsons  to  Cana- 


96  WYOMING. 

da,  his  family  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  patriots,  and 
were  exchanged  for  the  wife  and  children  of  Colonel 
Campbell,  of  Cherry  Valley.  He  was  exceedingly  ac 
tive  in  the  border  conflicts.  He  commanded  a  regi 
ment  of  Hangers  in  conjunction  with  Brant  and  his  Mo 
hawks,  and  was  a  fearful  scourge  to  the  patriots  of 
Tryon  County.  He  marched  at  the  head  of  his  Rang 
ers,  and  a  motley  mass  of  Tories  and  Indians,  upon 
Wyoming  in  1778,  and  was  there  implicated  in  the 
most  savage  barbarities.  His  report  of  the  transactions 
of  that  expedition,  which  we  have  given  to  the  reader 
in  another  place,  is  a  disgrace  to  civilization  and  hu 
manity.  He  accompanied  Sir  John  Johnson  in  his 
murderous  onslaught  upon  the  Mohawk  and  Schoharie 
settlements  in  1780.  His  old  residence  is  situated  in 


THE  BCTLEB  HOUSE. 


the  Mohawk  Valley,  near  Fonda.  His  property  was 
confiscated  by  an  act  of  the  New  York  Legislature, 
but  was  amply  reimbursed  by  the  British  government. 
He  succeeded  Guy  Johnson  as  Indian  Agent,  with  a 
salary  of  $2000  per  annum,  and  was  granted  a  pension, 
as  a  military  officer,  of  $1000  in  addition.  He  lost 
caste  with  the  high-minded  British  officers  on  account 


BRANT  AND  HIS  TORY  ASSOCIATES.  97 

of  his  savage  cruelties  in  the  border  war,  and  particu 
larly  in  Wyoming.  It  is  said  that  on  that  account  Sir 
Frederick  Haldemand,  then  Governor  of  Canada,  re 
fused  to  see  him. — See  Loss-ing's  Field-Book. 

It  is  claimed  that  Colonel  Butler  was  not  so  infa 
mously  cruel  as  his  son  Walter,  and  that  he  might 
have  dictated  more  severe  terms  to  Colonel  Denison 
and  the  settlers  in  Forty  Fort  after  the  battle.  All 
this  we  admit,  and  yet  it  is  not  saying  much  in  favor 
of  the  great  Tory  leader.  There  may  be  many  shades 
between  the  brutal  and  diabolical  cruelties  of  Walter 
Butler  and  the  modified  savageism  of  Brant  which  are 
still  at  a  vast  distance  from  the  laws  of  civilized  war 
fare,  and  which  are  entitled  to  little  respect  from  the 
historian.  No  man  knew  better  the  character  of  the 
warfare  carried  on  by  Tories  and  Indians  than  Colo 
nel  John  Butler.  He  set  on  these  bloodhounds,  and, 
in  some  instances  at  least,  encouraged  them  to  do  their 
worst.  Prisoners  of  war  and  the  wounded,  while  beg 
ging  for  quarter,  were  cruelly  tortured,  after  the  bat 
tles  of  Oriskany  and  Wyoming,  under  his  immediate 
command.  What  great  relief  to  the  character  of  the 
Tory  is  it  to  say  that  he  did  not  order  the  old  men, 
women,  and  children  in  Forty  Fort  to  be  butchered  ? 
He  might  almost  as  well  have  done  it,  for  he  allowed 
them  to  be  plundered  of  their  food  and  clothing,  and 
driven  to  the  mountains  to  starve  and  be  devoured 
by  wild  beasts.  Sure  enough,  "  The  tender  mercies 
of  the  wicked  are  cruel." 

After  the  war  Colonel  Butler  settled  in  Canada,  and 
lived  till  about  the  year  1800,  when  he  went  to  his  ac 
counts.  He  applied  to  the  British  government  to  be 
knighted,  but  failed,  as  we  judge  from  the  fact  that  we 
have  never  seen  him  dignified  with  the  title  of  Sir. 

E 


98  WYOMING. 

He  is  not,  even  by  historians  but  too  tender  of  his  rep 
utation,  called  Sir  John  Butler,  but  simply  Colonel 
Butler.  An  interesting  anecdote  touching  his  efforts 
to  secure  the  honors  of  knighthood  we  shall  insert  in 
another  connection. 


COLONEL  MATTHIAS  HOLLENBACK.      99 


III. 
COLONEL  MATTHIAS  HOLLENBACK. 

THE  materials  for  the  following  sketch  of  one  of  the 
leading  characters  concerned  in  the  stirring  events  of 
the  history  of  Wyoming  are  derived  partly  from  our 
own  personal  knowledge  of  the  man,  but  principally 
from  members  of  his  family  who  are  now  living.  To 
Mrs.  H.  D.  ALEXANDER,  Colonel  Hollenback's  step 
daughter,  we  are  indebted  for  the  greatest  portion  of 
the  facts;  and  we  owe  many  thanks  to  her  grand 
daughter,  Miss  E.  P.  Alexander,  for  a  beautiful  manu 
script,  in  which  these  facts  are  neatly  and  comprehens 
ively  written  down.  We  have  found  little  occasion 
for  alteration  in  the  manuscript,  excepting  in  cases  in 
which  the  statements  have  to  be  somewhat  modified 
in  view  of  other  information.  We  have  also  to  ac 
knowledge  our  obligations  to  Hon.  G.  M.  Hollenback, 
only  son  of  Colonel  Hollenback.  Mrs.  Alexander's 
father  was  killed  in  the  battle  when  she  was  but  a  few 
weeks  old,  and  Colonel  Hollenback  subsequently  mar 
ried  her  mother.  Her  knowledge  of  the  history  and 
incidents  in  the  life  of  Colonel  Hollenback  is  more  com 
plete  than  that  of  any  person  now  living,  and  her  rec 
ollections  of  facts  and  conversations  of  ancient  date  are 
exceedingly  clear  and  definite.  She  has  stored  away 
in  her  memory  a  vast  mass  of  facts  which  she  learned 
from  her  mother  and  her  stepfather  in  relation  to  the 
days  of  Wyoming's  troubles.  A  portion  of  them  are 
here  given  to  the  public.  Many  more  might  have 
been  incorporated  in  this  sketch  did  our  space  permit. 


100  WYOMING. 

What  we  give  may  be  relied  upon  with  the  utmost 
confidence. 

Matthias  Hollenback  was  born  on  the  Swatara  Creek, 
at  Jonestown,  Lebanon  County,  then  Lancaster,  Penn 
sylvania,  on  the  17th  day  of  February,  A.D.  1752. 
He  was  the  second  son  of  John  Hollenback  and  El 
eanor  Jones,  a  lady  of  Welsh  descent :  his  paternal 
grandfather  came  from  Germany. 

Mr.  Hollenback  came  to  Wyoming  in  1769,  in  a  com 
pany  of  forty  young  men  from  that  part  of  the  coun 
try.  They  were  Stuarts,  Espys,  Youngs,  and  others, 
and  they  came  with  the  intention  of  settling  and  be 
coming  citizens  under  Connecticut  laws,  and  aiding  the 
Yankees  in  keeping  possession  of  the  country.  They 
became  entitled  to  lands  under  Connecticut  claims, 
which  they  drew  after  they  had  been  a  short  time  in 
the  valley.  When  Mr.  Hollenback  came  to  Wyoming 
he  was  about  seventeen  years  of  age ;  for  enterprise, 
foresight,  and  force  of  character  he  was,  however,  "  a 
man,  every  inch  of  him."  The  company  encamped 
where  Mauch  Chunk  is  now  situated ;  and,  after  the 
coal  interest  had  called  into  existence  a  thriving  town 
there,  Colonel  Hollenback  often  humorously  remarked 
that  he  ought  to  put  in  a  claim  to  that  place,  for  he  was 
first  in  possession.  The  forty  adventurers  came  into 
Wyoming  through  a  notch  of  the  mountain  in  what  is 
now  Hanover ;  and  when  the  beautiful  valley  first 
broke  upon  their  sight,  young  Hollenback,  the  young 
est  of  the  company,  threw  up  his  hat,  and  screamed 
out,  "Hurrah!  that's  the  place  for  me."  His  com 
panions  laughed,  one  of  them  remarking,  "Never  mind, 
Mat ;  he'll  do  well  enough." 

The  first  land  owned  by  Mr.  Hollenback  was  the 


COLONEL  MATTHIAS  HOLJUEN'gA&K.  101 

tract  now  owned  by  the  Lazarus  family  in  Button- 
wood,  in  Hanover  Township. 

He  immediately  commenced  business  as  a  merchant, 
having  brought  a  small  stock  of  goods  with  him.  His 
first  store  was  at  or  near  the  Block-house,  at  the  mouth 
of  Mill  Creek.  The  stock  comprised  such  articles  as 
were  then  actually  needed  by  the  settlers,  such  as  gro 
ceries,  ammunition,  etc.  He  did  not  continue  long  at 
Mill  Creek,  but  came  to  Wilkesbarre;  and,  having 
purchased  a  lot  on  what  is  now  the  west  side  of  the 
public  square,  built  a  large  frame  house  for  a  store  and 
dwelling,  and  considered  himself  permanently  estab 
lished,  having  brought  on  his  younger  brother  John, 
and  sister  Mary  Ann,  to  live  with  him ;  the  one  took 
charge  of  his  business  in  his  many  absences,  and  the 
other  managed  his  household. 

His  goods  were  purchased  in  Philadelphia,  taken  in 
wagons  to  Middletown  on  the  Susquehanna,  and  then 
transported  by  water.  The  first  method  of  transporta 
tion  was  by  Indian  canoes ;  and  he  literally  "paddled 
his  own  canoe"  up  the  winding,  rapid  Susquehanna 
the  whole  distance,  150  miles,  many  times  before  he 
was  able  to  procure  a  more  capacious  vessel  and  to 
employ  men  to  manage  it.  Then  he  purchased  a  Dur 
ham  boat,  which  he  kept  steadily  employed.  At  this 
period,  the  present  road  leading  through  the  swamp 
was  but  a  single  bridle-path. 

Mr.  Hollenback,  in  his  business  enterprises,  was 
prospered  in  a  remarkable  manner,  and  soon  acquired 
distinction,  and  was  promoted  to  positions  of  public 
trust  and  responsibility. 

His  first  military  commission  is  now  before  us,  and 
is  dated  "  17th  day  of  October,  in  the  15th  year  of  the 
reign  of  our  sovereign  lord,  GEORGE  the  Third,  King 


102  WYOMING, 

of  Great  Britain,  &c.,  Annoque  Domini  1775."  It  is 
an  ensign's  commission  in  the  "trained  band  in  the 
24th  regiment  in  his  majesty's  colony  of  Connecticut. 

On  the  26th  of  August,  1776,  he  was  appointed  by 
Congress  to  serve  as  ensign  in  Captain  Durkee's  com 
pany  of  "  minute-men,"  a  band  raised  for  the  protec 
tion  of  the  people  in  the  Valley ;  but  when  the  Wy 
oming  companies  were  ordered  to  join  General  Wash 
ington's  army,  he  went  with  his  companions  in  arms 
to  the  post  of  danger.  Mr.  Hollenback  was  with  the 
army  in  New  Jersey  in  1776  and  1777,  and  fought  in 
several  battles.  He  was  in  the  battles  of  Millstone, 
Trenton,  Princeton,  and  Germantown.  That  he  was 
a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  courage  and  tact  is  evi 
dent  from  the  fact  that  he  was  more  than  once  em 
ployed  by  Washington  as  a  runner  to  visit  the  frontier 
settlements  and  outposts,  and  report  their  danger  or 
safety.  About  the  close  of  1777,  the  face  of  things 
beginning  to  wear  a  terrifying  appearance  in  Wyo 
ming,  many  of  the  men  who  were  with  the  army  came 
home,  and  among  them  was  Mr.  Hollenback.  Those 
who  remained  were  transferred  to  the  command  of 
Captain  Simon  Spaulding. 

After  leaving  the  army,  Mr.  Ilollenback  not  only 
addressed  himself  to  his  own  affairs,  but  also  kept  a 
vigilant  eye  on  events  of  public  interest ;  and,  with 
the  natural  sagacity  for  which  he  was  remarkable,  saw 
omens  of  the  danger  and  trial  which  were  in  a  brief 
space  of  time  so  fearfully  realized,  holding  himself  in 
readiness  for  action  the  moment  that  the  war-cry  should 
sound  its  dread  call  to  the  strife. 

About  the  last  day  of  June  or  the  first  day  of  July, 
1778,  the  people  of  the  Valley,  learning  that  the  enemy 
were  on  their  way  down  the  river,  and  that  there  was 


COLONEL  MATTHIAS  HOLLENBACK.      103 

danger  of  being  surprised  by  them,  sent  out  scouting- 
parties  to  observe  and  report  the  movements  of  the 
Indians  and  Tories.  The  last  scouts  who  went  up 
were  Hollenback,  and  a  man  whose  name  is  not  now 
known.  They  proceeded  fifteen  or  sixteen  miles  di 
rectly  up  the  river,  and  found  the  trail  of  the  Indians, 
which  led  across  the  mountain ;  and  also  found  the 
bodies  of  the  two  young  liar  dings,  who  had  just  been 
killed,  being  freshly  scalped  and  much  mutilated. 
They  found  a  canoe,  in  which  they  embarked,  bring 
ing  the  murdered  men  with  them,  and  returned  down 
the  river  to  Jenkins's  Fort,  where  they  were  met  by  the 
survivors  of  the  Harding  family.  The  men  who  were 
killed  had  gone  up  for  the  purpose  of  hoeing  corn,  and 
had  taken  their  arms  with  them,  but  were  surprised 
by  the  Indians,  some  killed,  and  the  rest  taken  pris 
oners,  with  the  exception  of  a  boy  who  hid  himself  in 
the  river  and  escaped. 

The  man  who  was  with  Mr.  Hollenback  was  so  over 
come  by  the  sight  of  his  dead  friends  that  he  begged 
to  be  put  on  shore,  declaring  that  he  would  die  with 
fear  if  he  staid  in  the  canoe.  Mr.  Hollenback  en 
deavored  to  prevail  on  him  to  stay,  but  at  length  land 
ed  him,  and  came  in  alone  to  the  fort ;  and  upon  ar 
riving  there  reported  that  it  would  be  useless  to  send 
out  more  scouts,  as  the  foe  were  so  near  at  hand,  and 
all  the  men  they  had  were  needed  where  they  were ; 
that  the  allied  fiends  were  rapidly  approaching  the 
Yalley,  and  in  great  strength  compared  with  those  who 
were  to  resist  them. 

Forty  Fort,  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  was  the 
place  of  rendezvous  for  the  patriots,  and  they  now  be 
gan  to  collect  in  earnest,  coming  to  the  fort  from 
Wilkesbarre  and  the  country  below,  mustering  all 


10-i  WYOMING. 

who  were  able  to  take  part  in  the  fight,  and  some  of 
them  bringing  their  families.  This  was  on  Thursday, 
2d  of  July. 

On  Friday  morning  they  marched  from  the  fort  in 
order  to  give  battle  to  the  foe,  under  the  principal 
command  of  Colonel  Zebulon  Butler,  an  officer  belong 
ing  to  the  standing  army,  who  was  here  at  the  time 
on  leave  of  absence,  and  had  been  requested  to  take 
the  command  by  Colonel  Nathan  Denison,  which  he 
did,  taking  charge  of  the  right  wing,  Denison  taking 
the  left. 

Upon  issuing  from  the  fort,  they  moved  toward  a 
high  bank  or  rise  of  ground  above  Shoemaker's,  where 
Colonel  Butler  proposed  to  halt,  and  form  the  army  to 
better  advantage  for  giving  the  enemy  battle,  think 
ing  it  a  good  position  for  them  to  take,  and,  if  possi 
ble,  maintain.  But  Captain  Lazarus  Stuart  opposed 
the  plan,  declaring  that  if  Butler  did  not  move  on  and 
take  a  stand  farther  up,  he  would  report  him  at  head 
quarters  as  a  coward.  Butler  replied  that  he  did  not 
fear  to  go,  but  that  it  was  throwing  away  an  advan 
tageous  position,  and  they  would  have  cause  to  repent 
it ;  and  so  the  event  proved.  Mrs.  Alexander  says  :* 
"  In  passing  the  house  of  Mr.  Sutton,  they  were  met 
by  him  and  requested  to  halt,  he  telling  them  that,  as 
the  day  was  very  sultry,  he  had  made  some  hasty  prep 
aration  for  their  refreshment,  by  setting  out  a  table 
in  his  house  with  pails  of  water  and  cups  to  drink  from, 
and  that  all  were  in  readiness  for  them.  His  kindness 
was  very  acceptable,  and  the  men  were  formed  into 
companies  of  twelve,  and,  by  marching  in  order  around 

*  What  is  here  related  must  have  taken  place  just  before  the  little 
army  left  the  fort,  as  Mrs.  Bedford  distinctly  informs  us  that  Mr. 
Sutton  and  his  family  were  at  the  time  in  the  fort. 


COLONEL  MATTHIAS  HOLLENBACK.      105 

the  table,  drank,  many  of  them,  their  last  draught  of 
fair  water.  There  was  one  bottle  of  rum  given,  but  it 
was  hardly  tasted.  This  was  told  me  by  Mrs.  Sutton 
when  we  went  to  be  present  at  the  raising  of  the  bones 
of  the  slain  in  1832,  and  proposed  to  erect  a  monument 
to  commemorate  the  massacre.  So  the  infamous  re 
port,  which  has  been  current  for  some  years  past,  and 
told  for  truth  by  men  who  had  no  interest  in  or  regard 
for  the  good  name  of  our  fathers,  that  those  martyrs 
who  fell  on  the  day  of  Wyoming's  doom  were  under 
the  influence  of  rum,  is  a  base  lie !  and  admits  of  no 
milder  name.  Those  true  men  were  driven  to  death 
and  flight,  not  by  force  of  liquor,  but  by  fearful  odds, 
and  the  combined  force  of  four  hundred  Tories  and  five 
hundred  Indian  demons  thirsting  and  eager  for  their 
blood.  That  devoted  band  of  three  hundred  and  fifty, 
who  went  out  to  battle  for  all  that  was  dear  to  them, 
were  of  too  strong  a  mould  to  be  led  into  the  satisfac 
tion  of  an  unholy  thirst  for  rum,  and  their  descendants 
should  fight  as  valiantly  to  remove  the  foul  stain  from 
their  names  as  they  did  upon  that  fatal  day  when  all 
was  lost  but  honor." 

As  the  little  army  marched  up  the  plains,  they  were 
met  by  a  white  flag,  the  signal  of  a  truce,  which,  in 
stead  of  advancing,  began  to  recede,  and,  strange  as  it 
may  seem,  the  patriots  followed  it.  Mr.  Hollenback, 
who  was  at  that  time  acting  as  one  of  Colonel  Butler's 
lieutenants,  opposed  this  measure,  and  proposed  halt 
ing  and  considering  the  unmilitary  action  of  the  flag. 
But  Colonel  Butler  had  resolved  upon  his  measures, 
influenced  by  the  banters  of  the  fighting  party,  and  he 
thought  it  was  too  late  to  hesitate.  The  enemy  gave 
way  on  the  right  as  our  men  commenced  the  action. 
For  a  brief  space  the  fortunes  of  the  day  seemed  to  be 


106  WYOMING. 

on  our  side.  "But  Butler  perceiving,"  says  Mrs. 
Alexander,  "the  enemy  to  be  pressing  on  Denison's 
wing,  sent  him  the  order  to  flank  on  the  left  wing,  and 
be  ready  to  receive  their  shock.  Denison,  mistaking 
the  order  for  that  of  retreat,  and  unused  to  military 
tactics,  gave  the  word  to  '  Retreat  a  little,'  instead  of 
''Fall  back  and  flank  out.1  It  was  necessary  for  them 
to  fall  back,  as  there  was  a  swamp  to  be  avoided. 
Eufus  Bennet,  who  was  near  Denison  at  the  time,  told 
me  this,  and  that  it  was  the  want  of  Denison  using  the 
proper  military  terms,  more  than  his  fright,  that  caused 
the  order  to  be  so  construed,  by  which  means  pur  men 
were  thrown  into  confusion,  and  totally  unprepared 
for  the  terrible  slaughter  that  awaited  them,  as  they 
broke  and  turned  to  fly  upon  hearing  the  order.  Colo 
nel  Butler  endeavored  to  rally  them,  but  they  were  so 
panic-stricken  that  the  effort  was  without  effect,  and 
the  enemy  had  possession  of  the  field. 

"  Our  men  took  to  flight,  such  of  them  as  had  es 
caped  death  on  the  field,  and  the  Indians,  in  full  chase, 
commenced  their  work  of  slaughter." 

The  substance  of  the  following  account  of  Mr.  Hol- 
lenback's  escape  has  been  furnished  by  his  son,  Hon. 
George  M.  Hollenback,  of  Wilkesbarre. 

Mr.  Hollenback  was  fighting  on  the  right  wing, 
beside  Captain  Durkee.  The  firing  having  ceased 
on  the  left,  Captain  Durkee  requested  him  to  run 
around  the  smoke  and  learn  the  cause.  He  returned 
with  the  answer,  ('  The  left  wing  is  all  broken  up ;  the 
men  are  flying,  and  the  Indians  are  killing  them  in  all 
directions;"  adding,  ''Captain  Durkee,  we  must  look 
out,  or  we  shall  soon  be  surrounded,"  At  this  moment 
the  captain  was  shot  in  the  thigh,  and  fell,  exclaiming, 
'Hollenback,  for  God's  sake  save  me!'  His  faithful 


COLONEL  MATTHIAS  HOLLENBACK.      107 

brother  in  arms  seized  the  wounded  hero  and  carried 
him  some  distance  toward  the  river,  the  murderous 
savages  being  in  hot  pursuit.  About  to  be  overtaken, 
he  was  obliged  to  leave  the  unhappy  man  and  run  for 
his  life.  The  Indians  scalped  Captain  Durkee.  Three 
or  four  pursued  Hollenback,  who  had  but  a  few  mo 
ments  the  start.  The  fearful  race  was  for  a  mile  and 
a  half  down  the  river  toward  Monocasy  Island.  Hol 
lenback  intended  to  cross  the  rift  at  the  head  of  the 
island.  Seeing,  however,  that  point  full  of  his  hunted 
comrades,  and  the  Indians  tomahawking  them  in  the 
river,  he  changed  his  mind.  The  Indians  close  upon 
him,  at  a  point  some  sixty  rods  above  the  point  of  the 
island,  he  suddenly  sprang  from  the  bank  of  the  river 
among  the  willows  into  a  bank  of  sand. 

He  had  thrown  off  his  clothing  in  the  chase,  retain 
ing,  however,  some  Continental  money  and  a  bill  of 
exchange.  These  he  put  in  his  hat,  and  a  piece  of 
gold  in  his  mouth,  and  plunged  into  the  river.  The 
Indians  immediately  commenced  firing  at  him.  The 
balls  struck  the  water  on  both  sides  of  him.  He  dove 
and  swam  under  water  as  long  as  he  could  hold  his 
breath.  Rising  again  to  the  surface,  he  swam  for  his 
life,  dodging  under  the  water  at  the  flash  of  the  gun. 
In  one  instance  he  was  not  quite  quick  enough.  A 
ball  grazed  his  skin,  when  he  opened  his  mouth  and 
lost  his  piece  of  gold.  He,  however,  retained  his  hat, 
his  Continental  money,  and  bill  of  exchange.  He 
reached  the  eastern  shore,  and,  supposing  himself  to 
be  shot,  he  felt  for  the  ball-hole,  but  found  none.  En 
tirely  destitute  of  clothing,  he  reached  the  top  of  the 
bank,  and  entered  the  woods  at  what  was  called  Coop 
er's  Swamp.  He  there  met  Solomon  Bennet,  who  had 
come  out  of  the  battle  ahead  of  him.  Bennet  had 


108  WYOMING. 

his  hunting-shirt  and  pantaloons,  and  Hollenback  beg 
ged  him  to  divide,  which,  with  the  characteristic  gen 
erosity  of  a  patriot  and  a  soldier,  he  promptly  did,  giv 
ing  him  the  hunting-shirt,  and  retaining  the  panta 
loons  for  himself. 

Kemaining  in  the  swamp  about  an  hour  to  rest, 
our  hero  then  made  the  best  of  his  way  through  the 
woods,  over  the  hills,  avoiding  all  paths ;  exhausted  by 
his  prodigious  efforts,  and  scratched  with  briers,  he 
reached  his  home  about  one  o'clock  on  the  morning 
of  the  4th  of  July. 

The  noble  citizen  soldier  sought  no  permanent  re 
pose  or  exemption  from  the  common  danger.  He  re 
mained  at  his  own  house  only  long  enough  to  put  on 
some  clothing,  and  walked  directly  to  Fort  Wyoming, 
the  site  of  the  present  old  court-house.  He  announced 
his  name  at  the  gate,  heard  it  repeated  within :  "  Hol 
lenback  has  come  I"  was  the  joyful  exclamation.  "  No, 
no,"  responded  the  familiar  voice  of  Nathan  Carey, 
"you'll  never  see  Hollenback  again.  He  was  on  the 
right  wing.  I  am  sure  he  is  killed."  The  gate  was 
opened,  however,  and  Hollenback  stepped  in.  It  be 
ing  dark,  and  there  being  no  candles,  Nathan  Carey 
lit  a  pine  knot  to  see  if  it  was  really  Hollenback,  and 
then,  overwhelmed  with  joy,  embraced  him  with  a 
brother's  affection. 

At  four  o'clock,  this  heroic  man,  without  waiting  to 
sleep  a  wink,  pushed  out  on  an  Indian  path,  braving 
all  dangers,  to  meet  Spaulding  with  his  seventy  men, 
with  a  view  of  getting  them  into  "Wyoming  Fort,  to 
hold  it  against  their  savage  foes.  He  met  them  at  Bear 
Creek,  but  Captain  Spaulding  declined  the  hazard. 
Hollenback,  however,  so  far  prevailed  as  to  induce  fif 
teen  or  twenty  of  the  men  to  accompany  him,  and  on 


COLONEL  MATTHIAS  HOLLENBACK.      109 

reaching  the  slope  of  the  mountain  near  "Prospect 
Kock,"  he  discovered  his  own  house  on  fire;  and  a 
greater  calamity  soon  appeared.  The  savages  were  in 
possession  of  the  fort.  Seeing  all  lost,  he  promptly 
directed  his  energies  to  the  relief  of  the  sufferers.  He 
had  procured  from  Spaulding's  commissary  all  the  pro 
visions  he  could  pack  on  his  horse,  and,  following  the 
fugitives,  mostly  women  and  children,  he  overtook 
them  and  fed  them  through  the  wilderness.  He  went 
to  the  "Wind-Gap,  and  at  Heller's  and  Easton  followed 
grubbing  a  few  weeks  at  twenty-five  cents  per  day. 
He  then  returned  to  the  Yalley  and  set  about  repairing 
his  loss.  His  credit  at  Philadelphia  being  good,  he 
obtained  a  few  goods,  and  began  the  world  anew. 

"We  now  return  to  a  few  circumstances  narrated  by 
Mrs.  Alexander,  which  occurred  upon  his  reaching  his 
house  on  the  night  of  the  fatal  3d  of  July. 

"When  it  was  known  that  he  had  returned,  every 
one  was  eager  to  question  him  concerning  the  fate  of 
the  day,  and  one  Betsy  Smith  came  in  great  haste  to 
make  inquiries  after  some  of  her  friends,  but  was  una 
ble  to  speak  with  him,  being  met  by  his  servant  Jeanie, 
who  demanded  of  her,  "  Could  she  na  let  the  mon  alane, 
gin  his  claithes  were  put  on?"  when  Miss  Smith  ten 
dered  her  apologies,  not  knowing  the  state  of  his  entree 
into  town. 

Jeanie  was  a  lass  from  the  land  o'  cakes,  and  was 
always  spoken  of  as  "  Scotch  Jeanie. ' '  Mr.  Hollenback 
had  paid  her  passage-money  from  the  old  country,  as 
was  quite  customary  in  those  days ;  and  Jeanie  not  only 
worked  out  the  amount,  but  remained  in  his  family  for 
some  time,  very  much  trusted,  and  was  the  last  to  leave 
his  house,  saying  that  she  would  stay  and  protect  her 
master's  property  as  long  as  she  could. 


110  WYOMING. 

After  a  little  relaxation,  Mr.  Hollenback  visited 
Spaulding's  company  to  obtain,  if  possible,  some  men 
to  return  to  Wyoming  with  him.  Spaulding  opposed 
his  returning  then,  and  ordered  him  into  the  ranks. 
He  obliged  him  to  stay  there,  near  the  Delaware,  for 
nearly  six  weeks.  At  length  he,  with  Lieutenant  Jen 
kins,  John  Carey,  and  others,  to  the  number  of  fifteen, 
came  back  to  Pittston  to  learn  what  they  could  of  the 
enemy's  movements.  In  looking  about,  they  observed 
a  smoke  issuing  from  the  old  block-house  on  the  other 
side  of  the  river,  and  a  canoe  moored  near  it,  of  which 
they  concluded  to  possess  themselves.  Hollenback 
swam  over,  took  the  "  dug-out,"  and  was  fired  at,  but 
not  hit.  They  then  started  for  "Wilkesbarre,  some  in 
the  canoe,  the  others  on  foot.  Among  the  latter,  Ca 
rey,  Jenkins,  and  Hollenback. 

On  the  way  down  they  came  upon  a  party  of  In 
dians  who  were  driving  a  yoke  of  oxen  loaded  with 
plunder.  Jenkins,  being  the  superior  officer  of  the 
party,  ordered  to  "Halt!"  but  Hollenback  shouted, 
"  Hush  on !"  and,  with  Carey  at  his  heels,  flew  after  the 
Indians,  who  fled,  leaving  their  booty,  which  the  party 
took,  and  came  on  to  the  fort  in  Wilkesbarre. 

Then,  hearing  of  some  disturbance  in  the  lower  part 
of  Hanover,  they  asked  Butler  to  let  them  have  some 
more  men,  and  they  would  go  down  and  see  about  it. 
They  wanted  a  company,  but  only  got  fifteen,  making 
thirty  in  all.  They  proceeded  down  as  far  as  Al- 
den's,  or  Forge  Creek,  now  Lee's,  to  Commer's  Mill, 
where  they  found  the  Indians  had  been  plundering, 
but  had  not  got  over  the  river.  They  were  in  a  canoe. 
The  party  divided,  and  followed  them  on  each  side  of 
the  creek  to  its  mouth,  where  they  surprised  and  fired 
on  them :  one  appeared  to  reel,  as  if  to  fall  in  the  river, 


COLONEL  MATTHIAS  HOLLENBACK.     Ill 

but  recovered  himself,  being  only  wounded.  The  In 
dians  left  the  plunder  which  they  had  taken  at  the 
mill ;  it  consisted  of  a  bag  of  flour,  a  bag  of  cucumbers, 
a  bag  of  meat,  a  pair  of  boots,  and  a  hat,  all  of  which 
the  men  brought  up  to  town  with  them. 

The  remains  of  the  slain  were  collected  and  buried 
in  a  common  grave,  on  the  22d  of  October.  In  rela 
tion  to  that  event,  Mrs.  Alexander  remarks :  "I have 
conversed  with  several,  besides  Mr.  Hollenback,  who 
were  present  at  the  burial,  and  recognized  many  of  the 
dead,  though  it  was  hard  to  identify  them,  as  they  had 
lain  so  long  in  the  hot  sun,  and  had  been  scalped  and 
otherwise  mutilated.  Mr.  Cooper,  who  afterward  lived 
at  the  '  Plains,'  told  my  mother,  the  late  Mrs.  Matthias 
Hollenback,  that  he  saw  my  father,  Cyprian  Hebberd, 
her  first  husband,  interred  with  the  others. 

"  My  father  had  gone  up  with  the  others  on  the  2d 
of  July  from  Hanover,  where  he  resided,  and  had  left 
my  mother,  with  her  parents  and  friends,  in  Stuart's 
block-house,  in  Buttonwood,  giving  her  all  the  money 
he  had  at  the  time,  between  sixteen  and  seventeen 
pounds,  a  good  horse  and  saddle  for  her  to  ride,  and 
another  to  be  led,  as  he  was  certain  they  would  be 
obliged  to  flee.  I  was  then  an  infant  of  about  two 
weeks  old,  having  been  born  on  the  18th  of  June. 

"  Father  had  an  idea  that  he  would  not  return,  and 
accordingly  made  the  best  preparation  he  could  for  the 
welfare  of  his  family  in  case  he  should  not.  He  was  in 
the  Hanover  company,  who  were  stationed  in  the  left 
wing,  under  command  of  Colonel  Denison ;  and,  after 
the  fatal  order  of  retreat  had  been  given,  seeing  that  it 
was  useless  to  remain  upon  the  field,  he  joined  the  oth 
ers  in  the  flight  to  the  river.  He  was  a  very  active 
man,  and  remarkably  agile.  Samuel  Carey,  who  was 


112  WYOMING. 

with  him,  has  told  me  that  he  would  certainly  have 
made  his  escape,  but  that,  in  running  through  a  field 
of  tall  rye,  instead  of  springing  over  it,  he  broke  it 
down  to  make  the  way  easier  for  his  fugitive  compan 
ions,  and  by  so  doing  retarded  his  own  flight,  and  was 
overtaken  by  the  Indians  and  surrounded.  Carey  man 
aged  to  reach  the  river  and  get  into  the  water ;  but  my 
father,  exhausted  with  running  and  breaking  down 
the  grain,  was  just  stepping  in,  when  a  stalwart  Indian 
overtook  him,  and,  plunging  a  spear  into  him,  gave 
him  his  death- wound.  He  fell  in  the  edge  of  the  wa 
ter,  in  sight  of  Carey,  who  told  me  the  fact.  Carey 
was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Indians,  and  remained  with 
them  five  years  in  captivity. 

"  The  night  of  the  3d  of  July,  Halldron,  a  tenant  of 
my  father's,  came  to  the  block-house  in  Buttonwood, 
and  told  the  party  there  that  they  must  leave  it,  as  the 
Indians  would  be  upon  them  before  morning.  But  my 
grandmother,  Mrs.  Burritt,  said  she  did  not  think  they 
would  be  along  before  the  third  day  after ;  nor  were 
they.  However,  the  party  set  out  immediately,  and 
proceeded  two  miles,  then  halted,  and  waited  the  ris 
ing  of  the  moon,  the  night  being  very  dark ;  then  set 
out  on  their  journey  again,  and  were  three  days  and 
nights  in  getting  to  Fort  Allen,  now  Allentown,  on  the 
Lehigh.  The  second  night  there  was  a  child  born  in 
the  camp,  the  son  of  Mrs.  Morris,  whose  husband  was 
in  the  battle,  but  escaped. 

"  "When  they  reached  the  Lehigh  a  man  came  over 
the  river  to  meet  them,  riding  a  powerful  horse,  and 
bringing  a  bag  of  biscuit  and  two  large  jugs  of  milk, 
with  which  he  fed  them,  and  also  helping  such  as  had 
no  horses  of  their  own  to  cross  the  river,  by  taking  two 
at  a  time  on  his  own  horse,  and  fording  them  over. 


COLONEL  MATTHIAS  HOLLENBACK.      113 

"  The  party  had  suffered  much  for  want  of  water  on 
the  road,  and  when  they  got  to  the  Lehigh  both  man 
and  beast  were  eager  to  quench  their  thirst.  The  horse 
my  mother  rode  put  down  its  head  so  suddenly  as  to 
jerk  the  bridle  from  her  hand,  and  I,  whom  she  carried 
in  her  bridle-arm,  was  thrown  from  her  grasp,  and  but 
for  her  catching  my  clothes  quick  as  thought,  I  had 
closed  a  brief  life  by  drowning  in  the  Lehigh. 

"  The  route  which  was  taken  by  the  fugitive  party 
was  called  the  '  Warrior's  Path,'  and  led  from  "Wyo 
ming  to  Fort  Allen.  Some  vestiges  of  it  still  exist, 
and  it  is  noted  in  the  old  surveys  and  maps.  The 
party  were  three  weeks  on  the  road  from  Wyoming  to 
Connecticut,  the  place  of  their  destination." 

Mr.  Hollenback  was  for  a  time  so  discouraged  by 
the  turn  of  affairs  in  Wyoming  and  the  unsettled  state 
of  things  there,  that  he  left  and  went  to  Easton,  where 
he  lived  with  some  of  his  acquaintances,  but  did  not 
remain  long.  He  was  calculated  for  a  life  of  activity 
and  business,  and  was  ill  at  ease  while  he  was  not  ac 
tively  and  profitably  employed.  As  his  interests  were 
all  in  Wyoming,  he  returned,  built  another  house  and 
store — still  standing  in  Wilkesbarre — and  once  more 
embarked  in  mercantile  pursuits,  taking  into  partner 
ship  a  Mr.  Hagaman.  As  was  the  case  before,  the  man 
was  remarkably  successful,  extending  his  business,  en 
larging  his  influence,  and  increasing  rapidly  his  pecun 
iary  resources. 

The  inhabitants  of  Wyoming  had  hardly  become 
settled  after  the  trouble  with  the  Indians  when  the 
Pennamite  feud  again  broke  out,  in  which  Mr.  Hollen 
back  took  an  active  part  on  the  Yankee  side.  He  ren 
dered  the  New  England  people  good  service,  not  so 
much  in  fighting  as  by  giving  those  who  did  fight 


114  WYOMING. 

the  "aid  and  comfort"  they  needed — affording  them 
at  his  establishment  powder,  lead,  and  provisions.  A 
party  of  Yankees  retired  to  the  mountain  for  safety, 
and  constructed  under  a  hanging  rock  a  rude  fortifica 
tion,  calling  it  "Lillapie,"  or  Fort  Lillapie.  To  this 
hiding-place  Mr.  Hollenback  frequently  sent  a  stock  of 
ammunition  and  eatables  by  trusty  adherents  to  the 
cause,  and  assisted  the  party  in  various  other  ways. 
These  civil  wars  very  much  retarded  the  progress  of 
the  country,  and  we  now  can  hardly  imagine  the 
amount  of  trouble  attendant  on  them.  Much  mischief 
was  done  by  the  Pennamites  in  the  exercise  of  their 
authority,  and  many  people  were  killed  in  the  Various 
skirmishes.  Colonel  Pickering  came  here,  on  the  part 
of  the  Pennsylvanians,  to  adjust  matters  between  them 
and  the  Yankees,  but  the  affair  was  a  tedious  one,  and 
a  long  time  elapsed  before  its  conclusion.  The  Yan 
kees  finally  adopted  Pennsylvania  laws,  and  their  lands 
were  resurveyed  and  apportioned  again  under  Penn 
sylvania  warrants. 

After  the  establishment  of  peace  between  the  United 
States  and  Great  Britain,  Mr.  Hollenback  made  the  ex 
periment  of  going  with  a  large  drove  of  cattle  to  Niag 
ara.  On  arriving  there  he  was  taken  prisoner  by  the 
British  and  Indians,  they  not  having  been  informed  of 
ficially  of  peace  being  made  between  the  two  nations. 
They  kept  him  six  weeks,  until  the  intelligence  was 
received,  after  which  his  captors  purchased  his  cattle, 
and  he  realized  a  large  profit.  He  made  considerable 
money  by  this  trip,  and  was  encouraged  to  keep  up  the 
trade. 

Determined  to  extend  his  business  operations,  he 
bought  lands  at  Tioga  Point — now  Athens — and  New- 
town — now  Elmira — where  he  established  stores  in  or- 


COLONEL  MATTHIAS  HOLLENBACK.      115 

der  to  trade  with  the  Indians,  and  laid  in  a  stock,  at 
both  places,  of  such  articles  as  would  attract  their  cus 
tom,  and  for  which  they  would  exchange  their  furs  and 
peltries. 

On  one  occasion  he  took  a  number  of  men  with  him, 
and  went  up  to  their  town,  on  the  Seneca  Lake,  to 
make  arrangements  with  them  and  obtain  their  trade. 
But  the  Indians  were  suspicious  that  the  party  had 
come  for  the  purpose  of  surveying  and  taking  away 
their  lands,  and  consequently  made  them  all  prisoners. 
All  their  baggage  underwent  a  thorough  search  to  see 
if  there  was  a  compass  with  the  party,  and  Mr.  Hollen- 
back  always  thought  that,  had  one  been  discovered, 
they  would  have  paid  the  penalty  with  their  lives. 
They  counciled,  and  came  to  the  conclusion  at  least  to 
kill  him,  as  he  led  the  party,  and  even  sent  some  dis 
tance  for  a  young  brave  to  come  and  kill  the  "  Shinne- 
wany."  Mr.  Hollenback  said  he  felt  somewhat  alarm 
ed,  but  took  care  not  to  manifest  the  fact ;  and  when 
the  chief  entered  the  wigwam,  he  returned  his  steady 
and  fixed  gaze  with  one  equally  as  steady.  He  rose 
and  extended  his  hand ;  the  chief  had  his  tomahawk 
raised  for  instant  use,  and  had,  without  doubt,  intended 
to  dispatch  him ;  but  his  coolness  and  friendly  bearing 
had  its  effect,  and  the  brave  gave  him  to  understand 
that  he  need  not  fear,  and  seemed  willing  to  hear  what 
he  had  to  say.  After  having  conferred  with  him,  and 
finding  that  his  was  a  peaceful  errand,  that  he  had  no 
idea  of  getting  their  lands,  but  wished  to  trade  with 
them,  he  set  him  and  his  party  at  liberty,  and  agreed 
to  influence  his  tribe  to  bring  their  trade  and  furs  to 
Newtown.  The  result  was  their  good- will  and  contin 
ued  trade  for  many  years  after. 
He  went  many  times  to  Niagara  with  cattle,  and 


116  WYOMING. 

once  collected  a  large  drove,  which  he  intrusted  to  a 
young  man  to  take  there ;  the  fellow  sold  the  cattle, 
and  ran  off  with  the  money,  Mr.  Hollenback  losing  the 
whole. 

In  1783,  a  treaty  between  the  whites  and  Indians 
was  held  at  Newtown.  Mr.  Hollenback  had  been  em 
ployed  by  the  government  to  furnish  the  Indians  with 
all  they  required  while  they  were  there.  In  this  op 
eration  he  made  about  a  thousand  pounds.  Colonel 
Pickering  was  the  person  who  treated  with  them,  and 
was  so  much  of  a  favorite  that  they  complimented  him 
by  giving  him  a  name  which,  in  English,  means  "the 
side  of  a  mountain." 

The  famous  John  Jacob  Astor  was  at  this  time  do 
ing  business  in  Philadelphia,  where  Mr.  Hollenback 
made  his  acquaintance  as  a  customer.  In  1789,  by  ar 
rangement,  Astor  accompanied  his  friend  from  Wilkes- 
barre,  up  the  Susquehanna,  and  so  on  to  Canada.  On 
the  way  they  crossed  the  outlet  of  the  Seneca,  which 
was  much  swollen  by  a  heavy  rain,  in  which  act  As 
tor  came  near  losing  his  life.  He  was  not  then  accus 
tomed  to  fording  streams  on  horseback,  and  in  the 
middle  of  the  stream  his  head  became  unsteady.  Hol 
lenback,  seeing  Astor  reel  in  his  saddle,  by  a  glanc 
ing  stroke  with  the  butt  of  his  whip  dashed  the  water 
in  his  face,  and,  at  the  same  time,  struck  him  under  his 
chin,  and  roared  out,  "Look  up,  Astor!"  He  recov 
ered  himself,  and  came  out  of  the  imminent  peril  with 
out  harm. 

It  was  this  journey  which  made  Astor's  fortune. 
He  saw  the  vast  profits  which  could  be  made  in  the 
fur  trade,  and  commenced  his  operations  in  that  line. 
He  made  an  effort  to  get  his  friend  Hollenback  to  go 
to  New  York  and  engage  in  business  with  him ;  but 


COLONEL  MATTHIAS  HOLLENBACK.      117 

the  latter  had  settled  his  plans  for  life,  already  having 
considerable  real  estate  in  the  Susquehanna  Valley, 
and  was  not  to  be  diverted  from  his  purpose.  These 
veteran  traders  met  in  New  York  in  1824  for  the  first 
time  after  their  separation  in  Canada,  and  talked  over 
their  early  adventures  to  their  mutual  gratification. 
u  Hollenback,  have  you  any  sons?"  inquired  Astor. 
"  I  have  one,"  was  the  answer.  "  Send  him  to  me,  and 
I  will  take  care  of  him."  "I  thank  you,  sir;  he  can 
take  care  of  himself,"  replied  Colonel  Hollenback. 

The  last  trip  which  Mr.  Hollenback  made  to  Ni 
agara  was  in  1792 ;  and,  after  selling  out  his  stock  and 
concluding  his  business  there,  he  made  the  discovery 
that  the  Indians  were  preparing  to  waylay  and  rob 
him  on  his  return  home.  Such  being  the  case,  he  laid 
his  plans  warily  to  elude  them.  His  own  horse  being 
lame,  he  exchanged  it  with  the  landlord  for  another ; 
had  it  taken  into  the  woods  at  night  and  shod ;  and, 
all  things  being  in  readiness,  he,  with  several  others, 
started  under  cover  of  the  night  to  pass  through 
woods,  and  swamps,  and  over  rivers,  back  to  Penn 
sylvania. 

There  was  with  them  an  aged  Bunker  minister, 
named  Eothruck,  who  was  ill  and  poorly  clad,  and  on 
foot.  He  had  taken  out  cattle  to  sell  in  order  to  pay 
for  his  farm,  and  succeeded  in  getting  bills  of  exchange 
for  them.  Mr.  Hollenback  was  very  kind  to  him,  and 
helped  him  on  as  far  as  Owego,  telling  him  to  wait 
there  until  some  rafts  came  down  the  river,  and  then 
to  go  to  his  house,  and  his  wife  would  "  nurse  him  up 
again."  He  did  so,  and  Mrs.  Hollenback  clothed  him, 
and  ministered  to  his  wants.  When  the  wagons  went 
down  to  Philadelphia  for  goods,  he  was  put  in  one  of 
them,  and  safely  transported  to  the  city,  where  Mr. 


118  WYOMING. 

Hollenback  got  his  bills  negotiated,  and  sent  him  home 
rejoicing. 

At  one  of  the  halting-places  on  the  route  the  party 
found  the  vestiges  of  a  man's  clothes  hanging  on  some 
bushes  near  a  spring,  and  other  indications  of  foul  play 
with  some  one.  They  proved  to  be  the  clothes  of  a 
man — Mr.  Street — who  had  left  Niagara  before  them 
with  about  $2000,  and  had  here  been  waylaid  and 
murdered  by  a  man  whose  name  was  Gale.  Mr.  Hol 
lenback  afterward  found  out  the  murderer,  and  suc 
ceeded  in  putting  officers  on  his  track :  he  was  taken 
and  hung. 

Before  leaving  Niagara,  he  found  that  part  of  a  no 
torious  band  of  highwaymen,  well  known  at  the  time 
and  much  feared — "  The  Doanes  and  Tomblesons" — 
were  there,  and  also  watching  him  closely.  He  as 
certained  that  it  was  their  purpose  to  follow  him,  and 
wait  until  he  had  stopped  at  all  his  trading  stations, 
returned  home,  and  set  out  again  to  purchase  goods  in 
Philadelphia,  then  to  attack  and  rob  him,  as  he  would 
then  have  a  large  sum  of  money,  and  be  the  kind  of 
prey  they  sought. 

But  he  was  too  sagacious  and  brave  to  fall  into  their 
hands,  though  he  came  very  near  it.  Soon  after  com 
ing  home  he  started  for  the  city,  and  passed  over  the 
greater  part  of  the  distance  before  any  thing  occurred 
to  alarm  him.  Upon  riding  along  a  sandy  track  in 
the  woods  one  night,  he  heard  some  slight  sound,  and 
finally  whispers  in  the  bush,  and  his  name  was  men 
tioned.  Certain  that  he  was  dogged,  he  made  all  speed, 
and  reached  a  sort  of  tavern,  and  disguising  himself  as 
much  as  possible,  and  also  feigning  drunkenness,  he 
dismounted,  and  began  to  look  about  to  see  what  kind 
of  place  it  was.  Seeing  many  strange-looking  men 


COLONEL  MATTHIAS  HOLLENBACK.      119 

about,  and  not  liking  the  appearance  of  things,  he  did 
not  remain  long ;  but,  before  he  left,  he  noticed  a  party 
of  odd-looking  fellows  arrive  from  the  same  direction 
which  he  had  come,  who  were  evidently  the  ones  he 
had  heard  in  the  woods,  and  answered  well  to  the  de 
scription  of  the  Doanes,  etc.  He  reached  that  same 
night  another  house  kept  by  a  widow,  where  they  were 
in  great  alarm  for  fear  of  a  descent  by  the  Doanes,  who 
were  then  filling  the  country  with  dread.  Having 
taken  supper,  he  retired  to  his  apartment,  got  out  his 
pistols,  and  watched  the  night  long  instead  of  sleeping. 
He  arrived  at  the  city  the  next  day,  and  deposited  his 
funds  safely  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Dorsie,  his  banker, 
thus  escaping  the  Doanes  and  Tomblesons,  who  found 
in  him  too  much  courage  and  tact  for  their  purposes. 

Mr.  Hollenback  finally  became  more  settled,  and  no 
longer  went  out  on  such  toilsome  and  hazardous  jour 
neys,  but  remained  more  at  home,  still  pursuing  his 
business  with  energy  and  success.  The  mercantile 
business  he  kept  up  until  the  end  of  his  life,  and  al 
ways  prospered  in  it :  his  store  was  for  many  years  the 
best  in  "Wilkesbarre. 

He  was  made  justice  of  the  peace  after  the  estab 
lishment  of  the  jurisdiction  of  Pennsylvania  in  Wy 
oming,  and,  when  the  new  Constitution  was  formed, 
was  appointed  associate  judge  of  Luzerne  County 
courts,  in  which  capacity  he  served  until  the  time  of 
his  death,  which  event  occurred  on  the  18th  day  of 
February,  1829,  the  day  after  he  was  seventy-seven 
years  old.  His  commission  as  associate  judge  is  dated 
"  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  ninety  one,"  under  the  administration  of  Governor 
Mifflin.  His  first  commission  as  lieutenant  colonel  is 
dated  1787,  another  is  dated  1792,  and  still  another 


120  WYOMING. 

1793.  These  commissions  are  all  preserved,  and  are 
upon  our  table.  The  first  of  them  was  given  by  the 
executive  council  of  Pennsylvania,  and  contains  the 
autograph  of  Dr.  Franklin. 

When  Jackson  was  running  for  President,  he  de 
termined  to  vote  for  him,  considering  him  the  man 
most  eligible  for  that  high  and  honorable  office.  Be 
ing  quite  ill,  he  went  to  the  polls  in  his  carriage,  and 
the  judges  came  out  and  received  his  vote,  the  last  one 
he  ever  gave.  This  was  in  November,  1828. 

Colonel  Hollenback  always  took  great  interest  in 
religious  affairs  and  the  welfare  of  the  Church.  He 
gave  largely  toward  building  the  first  church  built  in 
"Wilkesbarre,  and  was  generally  punctual  in  his  attend 
ance  upon  the  services,  never  absenting  himself  when 
it  was  convenient  to  attend.  His  house  was  the  home 
of  ministers,  and  his  hand  always  open  to  them. 

He  was,  in  many  respects,  an  extraordinary  man. 
There  was  no  such  word  as  failure  in  his  vocabulary. 
He  had  courage  and  sagacity  both  equal  to  any  thing 
in  his  line.  In  all  his  business  relations  he  was  a  pat 
tern  of  punctuality  and  fidelity  to  public  trusts  and 
private  confidence. 

Mrs.  Alexander  says :  "  My  mother  was  a  few  months 
his  senior.  She  was,  in  all  respects,  a  suitable  helpmeet 
for  him,  and  during  his  long  absences  took  the  entire 
charge  of  his  affairs.  His  confidence  in  her  was  great, 
he  never  doubting  her  ability.  Her  benevolence  was 
remarkable,  and  evinced  itself  in  more  than  one  in 
stance.  She  was  the  friend  of  the  poor  and  needy, 
and,  until  the  close  of  her  long  life,  practiced  that  kind 
ness  and  sympathy  toward  her  fellow-creatures  which 
her  enlarged  means  admitted  of,  and  her  memory  is 
held  in  grateful  remembrance  by  many  who  are  now 


COLONEL  MATTHIAS  HOLLENBACK.      121 

living ;  and  very  many  more,  who,  like  her,  have  long 
since  gone  to  '  that  undiscovered  country  from  whose 
bourne  no  traveler  returns,'  and  can  not  now  speak 
save  through  their  descendants,  were  once  the  objects 
of  her  kind  consideration.  Both  Judge  Hollenback  and 
his  wife  took  an  active  interest  in  all  that  related  to 
the  settlement  of  this  valley,  and  the  stirring  events 
of  its  history.  They  lived  to  see  it  in  prosperity,  and 
entirely  recovered  from  the  terrible  blow  which  so 
nearly  blotted  its  white  settlers  from  existence,  when 
they  departed  peacefully  at  the  Master's  summons. 
My  mother  lived  some  years  after  Father  Hollenback's 
death.  She  was  born  the  19th  of  November,  1750,  in 
Huntington,  Connecticut,  and  died  July  21st,  1833,  in 
her  eighty -third  year." 

Judge  Hollenback  was  a  character ;  he  was  emphat 
ically  a  man  for  the  times.  He  never  knew  fear ;  and 
that  he  was  not  reckless  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact 
that,  amid  the  perils  of  his  eventful  life,  he  was  never 
wrecked.  He  was  brave,  but  not  headlong.  He  cal 
culated  upon  consequences  with  great  precision.  He 
was  sometimes  accused  of  obstinacy;  he  certainly 
had  great  firmness.  Fierce  and  unprincipled  opposi 
tion  would  wake  up  in  him  the  old  soldier ',  and  he  was 
a  terrible  foe.  His  perseverance  and  his  power  of  en 
durance  were  almost  beyond  precedent.  He  took  all 
his  journeys  on  horseback,  and  his  range  of  business 
was  from  Niagara  to  Philadelphia.  Between  Wyo 
ming  and  the  New  York  state-line  he  owned  immense 
quantities  of  wild  land.  He  often  visited  his  lands 
personally  and  alone,  traveling  for  days,  and  even 
weeks,  through  the  wilds  of  Northern  Pennsylvania, 
and  being  as  much  at  home  in  the  wilderness,  without 
a  path,  as  in  his  counting-room.  When  night  over- 

F 


122  WYOMING. 

took  him,  he  turned  into  the  nearest  human  habita 
tion,  be  it  ever  so  humble,  and  made  himself  at  home. 
He  said  to  the  man  of  the  house,  "  Give  my  horse  a 
peck  of  oats,  or  four  quarts  of  corn ;"  and,  entering 
the  dwelling,  perhaps  a  small  log  cabin,  his  language 
would  be,  "  Good  woman,  I  want  a  dish  of  mush  and 
milk."  Taking  his  seat  while  his  supper  was  being 
made  ready,  quite  likely  he  would  fall  asleep  in  his 
chair.  His  umush  and  milk"  disposed  of,  he  perhaps 
asked  for  a  blanket,  and  flung  himself  down  on  the 
floor,  with  his  head  upon  his  saddle-bags,  and  slept 
sweetly  until  daylight,  when  he  was  off.  In  his  trav 
els  he  often  lay  out  in  the  woods  upon  the  ground, 
covered  only  by  the  rose  blanket  upon  which  he  rode. 

In  1824r-5,  when  traveling  an  extensive  district, 
embracing  a  portion  of  Northern  Pennsylvania  and 
Southern  New  York,  we  often  fell  in  with  the  veteran 
pioneer.  He  rode  a  large  sorrel  horse — a  low-carriaged 
animal,  but  a  fine  racker.  He  would  ride  that  animal 
from  forty  to  sixty  miles  in  a  day.  He  often  took  re 
freshing  naps  on  horseback,  during  which  his  horse 
would  move  quietly  along,  but,  when  he  awoke  to 
consciousness,  his  sagacious  animal  soon  understood 
that  an  increase  of  speed  was  expected. 

Judge  Hollenback  was  full  of  life,  humorous,  even 
jocose,  and  fond  of  repartee.  He  was  good  company, 
full  of  anecdote,  and  was  a  considerable  wit.  He  liked 
a  good  joke  even  when  it  was  against  himself.  When 
free  from  the  cares  of  business,  he  would  unbend  him 
self,  and,  walking  back  and  forth  across  the  floor,  would 
amuse  his  friends,  young  and  old,  by  telling  stories. 
"  Once,"  said  he,  on  such  an  occasion,  "  when  a  lad,  I 
crossed  a  grave-yard  in  the  night,  and  thought  I  was 
not  afraid  until  I  made  a  false  step  and  tumbled  down 


COLONEL  MATTHIAS  HOLLENBACK. 


123 


among  the  graves.  I  was  then  so  frightened  that  I 
bawled  like  a  calf.  I  jumped  up,  and  ran  for  life, 
thinking  the  ghosts  were  close  at  my  heels."  On  one 
occasion,  having  been  overtaken  on  the  mountains  by 
an  awful  thunder-storm,  he  said  he  paused  under  a 
great  tree,  and  the  thunder  and  the  lightning  were  so 
terrible  that  he  feared  and  quaked;  and  feeling  that 
he  ought  to  pray,  he  could  think  of  nothing  to  say  but 
"  Now  I  lay  me  down  to  sleep,"  etc. 

As  for  pride  of  equipage,  Judge  Hollenback  had 
none.  His  dress  was  neat,  but  plain.  He  lived  in  a 
plain,  old-fashioned,  low  frame  house,  planned  for  the 
purposes  both  of  a  dwelling  and  a  store.  He  owned 


-.«=.,_      _-. 


ft* 


no  splendid  carriage  and  plated  harness,  but  traveled 
either  on  foot  or  upon  horseback,  with  his  saddle  at- 


124  WYOMING. 

tired  with  a  blanket,  or  a  sheepskin  tanned  with  the 
wool  on. 

Colonel  Hollenback  was  as  true-hearted  a  patriot  as 
ever  breathed.  When  the  Kevolutionary  struggle 
commenced  he  held  a  military  commission  under  the 
government  of  King  George  the  Third,  and  every  mo 
tive  which  could  be  presented  to  an  aspiring  and  a 
mercenary  mind  was  urged  as  a  reason  for  his  espous 
ing  the  royal  cause.  His  patriotic  feelings  spurned 
the  whole.  He  "  threw  up"  his  royal  commission, 
and,  as  soon  as  his  services  were  called  for,  he  accepted 
one  from  the  Continental  Congress,  in  the  most  gloomy 
period  of  the  Kevolutionary  struggle.  His  sympathy 
for  the  sufferers,  and  his  energy  in  supplying  their 
wants  upon  the  occasion  of  that  melancholy  exodus  of 
the  settlers  of  the  4th  of  July,  1778,  have  been  referred 
to.  We  have  often  heard  the  survivors  of  that  terri 
ble  flight  dwell  with  enthusiasm  upon  Hollenback's 
services  and  manner  on  that  occasion.  His  horse  was 
loaded  with  bread  and  biscuits.  He  flung  a  loaf  to 
one  group  and  then  to  another,  with  his  usual  saluta 
tion,  "  God  bless  you !  Keep  up  good  courage ;  you 
will  reach  the  settlement  in  safety,"  and  words  of  like 
import.  His  timely  supplies,  his  courage,  his  genial, 
earnest  spirit,  were  largely  instrumental  in  the  deliver 
ance  of  scores  of  the  fugitives  from  death  in  the  wil 
derness. 

An  anecdote  was  related  to  Mr.  G.  M.  Hollenback 
by  the  late  Judge  Scott  which  furnishes  a  good  illus 
tration  of  the  character  of  our  subject.  After  the  war 
was  over,  and  Colonel  John  Butler  was  reposing  upon 
his  honors  in  Canada,  he  made  application  to  the  Brit 
ish  government  to  be  admitted  to  the  honor  of  knight 
hood.  His  reputation  had  suffered  in  England,  as 


COLONEL  MATTHIAS  HOLLENBACK.      125 

well  as  in  America,  from  the  accounts  which  had  been 
published  of  his  cruelties  in  Wyoming.  It  was  judged 
by  his  friends  that  if  he  could  obtain  a  certificate  from 
one  of  the  officers  who  was  present  on  the  American 
side  in  that  unequal  conflict,  to  the  effect  that  Colonel 
Butler's  conduct  was  humane  and  soldier-like  on  the 
occasion,  his  application  would  succeed.  Accordingly, 
a  suitable  messenger — a  bland  English  gentleman — 
was  dispatched  to  Wyoming.  Colonel  Hollenback 
was  the  man  to  be  addressed.  The  agent  of  Butler 
called  upon  the  old  soldier  at  his  office  and  opened  the 
matter,  taking  from  his  pocket  a  parchment  beautiful 
ly  executed,  only  wanting  the  signature.  Colonel 
Hollenback  read  it  carefully ;  then,  looking  the  gentle 
man  in  the  eye,  asked,  "Do  you  expect  me  to  sign 
this  ?"  "  Yes,  sir,  if  you  please,"  was  the  answer.  "  I 
shall  not  do  it,  for  it  is  not  true."  Butler's  agent 
urged  the  matter  respectfully  but  earnestly,  but  the 
reply  was  reiterated,  "  It  is  not  a  word  of  it  true,  sir — 
I  say,  sir,  it  is  a  big  lie."  The  dernier  resort  was 
finally  reached,  and  that  was  to  "a  purse  of  gold." 
This  was  a  match  flung  into  the  magazine.  The  fiery 
soul  of  the  old  patriot  could  no  longer  keep  itself 
within  due  bounds.  "Gold!  gold!"  he  thundered 
out,  with  voice  enough  to  reach  the  outskirts  of  his 
regiment,  if  he  had  been  upon  the  battle-field,  "your 
king  has  not  got  gold  enough  to  buy  me,  sir."  Then, 
loading  the  poor,  disappointed  agent  with  a  volley  of 
epithets,  he  pointed  to  the  door,  and  said,  "  There,  sir, 
is  the  door;  let  me  never  see  you  again  upon  this 
business."  The  gentleman  was  almost  petrified,  but 
made  out  to  steer  his  course  between  the  door-posts, 
and  so  disappeared,  considering  himself  rather  fortu 
nate,  as  well  he  might,  that  he  was  permitted  to  make 


126  WYOMING. 

his  exit  without  help.     A  man  whom  gold  could  not 
buy  was  probably  to  him  a  strange  spectacle. 

The  stirring  enterprise,  the  untiring  energy,  and 
the  thorough  business  habits  of  Judge  Hollenback  ex 
erted  a  vast  influence  upon  the  progress  and  elevation 
of  the  country.  He  found  business  for  many  poor 
laborres ;  he  furnished  supplies  to  multitudes  of  new 
settlers ;  he  took  an  active  part  in  the  early  public  im 
provements  ;  he  kept  in  circulation  a  large  capital ; 
and  he  was  a  living — almost  ever-present — example  of 
industry  and  economy.  Not  Wyoming  alone,  but  the 
whole  country  between  Wilkesbarre  and  Elmira,  owes 
much  of  its  early  development  and  present  prosperity 
to  the  business  arrangements  and  the  indomitable  per 
severance  of  Matthias  Hollenback. 

Colonel  Hollenback  was  employed  by  Eobert  Mor 
ris,  the  agent  of  Louis  the  Sixteenth,  to  provide  a 
place  of  retreat  for  the  royal  household  at  some  se 
cluded  spot  on  the  Susquehanna.  This  was  in  1793. 
He  accordingly  purchased  twelve  hundred  acres  of  land 
lying  in  Bradford  County,  Pennsylvania,  and  embrac 
ing  the  locality  where  Frenchtown  was  subsequent 
ly  built.  The  unfortunate  monarch,  however,  never 
occupied  this  asylum  in  the  wilds  of  Pennsylvania,  al 
beit  many  of  his  subjects  did.  Louis 
Philippe,  the  late  "  King  of  the 
j  French,"  in  1795  came  through  "the 
'  Wind-Gap"  on  horseback,  and  lodged 
in  Wilkesbarre  in  "the  old  red  tav 
ern,"  on  the  river  bank,  then  kept 
by  James  Morgan,  and  subsequently 
known  as  "the  old  Arndt  Hotel," 
and  then  made  his  way  up  to  French- 
town.  All  this  is  true ;  but  our  soil  is  none  the  bet- 


COLONEL  MATTHIAS  HOLLENBACK.      127 

ter  for  having  been  owned  by  falling  monarchs,  or 
even  trod  by  the  feet  of  royal  fugitives.  Louis  Phil 
ippe,  like  Colonel  Hollenback,  learned  in  America  to 
sleep  on  "  the  soft  side  of  a  board,"  a  practice  which 
he  never  wholly  abandoned. 

Resolutions  passed  by  the  Officers  of  the  Court  and  Mem 
bers  of  the  Bar : 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  officers  of  the  court  and  mem 
bers  of  the  bar  of  the  County  of  Luzerne,  held  in  the 
borough  of  Wilkesbarre,  on  Thursday,  the  19th  inst., 
the  following  resolutions  were  submitted,  and  unani 
mously  adopted : 

"  Resolved,  That  we  have  heard  with  regret  the  death 
of  the  venerable  Matthias  Hollenback,  one  of  the  as 
sociate  judges  of  the  courts  of  this  county,  and  that  in 
testimony  of  his  memory  we  will  wear  crape  upon  the 
left  arm  for  thirty  days. 

"  Resolved,  That  we  will  attend  the  funeral  of  the 
deceased  on  Saturday  next,  from  his  late  residence  in 
this  borough. 

"  Resolved,  That  we  deeply  sympathize  with  the  wid 
ow  and  family  of  the  deceased  in  their  late  bereave 
ment,  and  that  a  committee  be  appointed  to  present 
them  with  a  copy  of  these  proceedings,  and  to  make 
arrangements  for  the  funeral. 

"February  19,  1829." 

The  following  communication,  copied  from  the  Sus- 
quehanna  Democrat,  was  written  by  the  Hon.  David 
Scott. 

"Friday,  February  27th,  1829. 

"  The  Hon.  Matthias  Hollenback,  whose  death  was 
announced  in  your  paper  of  last  week,  was  born  of 


128  WYOMING. 

German  parentage,  in  Hanover,  upon  the  Swatara,  then 
Lancaster,  now  Lebanon  Comity,  Pennsylvania.  Here 
he  was  inured  to  all  the  sufferings  and  privations  inci 
dent  to  a  frontier  settlement  at  that  early  day.  Pos 
sessed  of  a  firm  and  vigorous  constitution,  and  endued 
by  nature  with  a  strong,  active,  and  enterprising  mind, 
at  the  age  of  seventeen  he  joined  the  first  adventurous 
party  who  came  to  make  a  permanent  settlement,  un 
der  the  authority  of  Connecticut,  in  the  Valley  of  Wy 
oming.  This  was  in  the  autumn  of  1769.  From  this 
period  the  history  of  his  long  and  eventful  life  is  iden 
tified  with  the  history  of  this  part  of  the  country. 

"In  the  controversy  between  Pennsylvania  and  Con 
necticut  he  actively  and  firmly  adhered  to  the  latter, 
under  whose  auspices  he  had  embarked  his  youthful 
fortunes,  and  whose  claims  he  regarded  as  paramount 
to  every  other,  until  the  right  of  soil  and  the  right  of 
jurisdiction  to  the  country  were  decreed,  by  a  compe 
tent  tribunal,  to  be  in  the  former.  From  that  moment 
he  yielded  obedience  to  the  Constitution  and  laws  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  contributed  all  in  his  power  to 
quiet  the  turbulent,  and  to  reconcile  the  disaffected  to 
the  legitimate  authorities. 

"  This  dispute  between  Pennsylvania  and  Connecti 
cut  had  assumed  all  the  characteristics  of  a  civil  war, 
and,  notwithstanding  the  conciliatory  recommendations 
and  remonstrances  of  the  Continental  Congress,  it  was 
continued  during  the  Eevolutionary  struggle.  While 
the  poor  and  destitute  settlers  were  suffering  on  the 
one  side  from  the  common  enemies  of  the  country — the 
British,  the  savage  Indians,  and  the  worse  than  savage 
Tories — they  were  attacked  on  the  other,  and  endured 
equal  distress,  by  military  parties  under  the  authority 
of  Pennsylvania. 


COLONEL  MATTHIAS  HOLLENBACK.      129 

"  Thus  surrounded  with  difficulties  and  dangers  cal 
culated  to  appall  the  stoutest  heart — at  a  period,  too, 
when  many  good  but  timid  men  doubted,  hesitated, 
and  feared,  young  Hollenback,  in  want  of  every  thing 
but  personal  courage  and  patriotic  feeling,  was  ap 
proached  by  one  of  those  agents  of  the  mother-coun 
try  whose  bland  and  fascinating  manners,  and  duplic 
ity  of  heart,  marked  him  out  as  a  fit  emissary  for  *  trea 
son,  stratagem,  and  spoil.'  On  the  one  hand,  the  ef 
forts  making  to  free  the  country  from  British  domin 
ion  was  represented  as  entirely  hopeless,  and  that,  upon 
failure,  poverty,  shame,  and  death  every  where  await 
ed  the  active  partisan ;  on  the  other,  by  espousing  the 
cause  of  the  British  king,  money,  office,  and  honor 
would  be  immediately  conferred,  and  a  life  of  ease  and 
independence  secured.  The  youth  stood  firm.  He 
was  not  to  be  allured  from  the  path  of  duty.  He  had 
taken  his  resolution,  staked  his  all  upon  the  issue,  and 
was  willing  to  abide  the  result. 

"  In  1776 — perhaps  the  following  year — two  compa 
nies  were  raised  in  Wyoming,  in  one  of  which  young 
Hollenback  was  appointed  a  lieutenant.  He  was  active 
and  successful  in  filling  up  and  preparing  his  company 
for  active  service,  and  shortly  after  joined  the  army, 
under  General  Washington,  in  the  State  of  New  Jer 
sey.  His  merits  were  soon  discovered  and  properly 
appreciated  by  the  general,  who  frequently  consulted 
him  in  relation  to  the  frontier  settlements,  and  the 
means  of  defending  them  against  the  incursions  of  the 
enemy.  He  participated  in  all  the  sufferings  of  our 
half-fed  and  half-clothed  troops  during  a  winter  cam 
paign  in  the  State  of  New  Jersey,  and  was  on  several 
occasions  employed  by  the  general  in  the  execution 
of  confidential  agencies. 

F2 


130  WYOMING. 

"  Such  was  the  patriotism  and  spirit  of  the  Wyo 
ming  settlers,  that,  during  a  short  period,  when  they 
were  not  immediately  threatened  with  attacks  from  the 
enemy,  almost  every  efficient  man  among  them  joined 
the  regular  army,  and  left  their  families  without  pro 
tection.  This  calm  portended  a  storm.  The  defense 
less  state  of  the  frontier  invited  aggression.  The  Val 
ley  again  began  to  suffer  from  the  tomahawk,  scalping- 
knife,  and  firebrand,  and  early  in  1778  it  was  discover 
ed  that  a  horde  of  British,  Indians,  and  Tories  were  col 
lecting  upon  the  Susquehanna  frontier,  and  preparing 
to  pour  down  upon  the  Valley  of  Wyoming,  and  ex 
terminate  the  defenseless  settlers.  The  officers  from 
Wyoming  urged  the  general  to  send  a  force  for  its 
protection,  or  to  permit  the  two  companies  drawn  from 
this  settlement  to  return,  for  the  purpose  of  defending 
their  aged  and  helpless  parents,  wives,  and  children ; 
but  such  was  the  situation  of  the  army  that  no  ade 
quate  force  could  be  spared.  An  intense  anxiety  was 
felt  among  the  officers :  some  obtained  furloughs,  and 
some  resigned  and  returned  to  the  Valley.  Every  prep 
aration  was  made  in  their  power  to  repel  their  invad 
ers.  About  350  men  marched  out  to  meet  the  enemy : 
they  were  drawn  into  an  ambuscade.  The  result  is 
known ;  Wyoming  was  reduced  to  widowhood  and  or 
phanage.  About  fifty  only  escaped  that  disastrous 
battle,  of  whom  the  subject  of  this  notice  was  one. 

"  Articles  of  capitulation,  in  which  security  and  pro 
tection  of  life  were  stipulated,  were  no  sooner  signed 
than  they  were  violated  on  the  part  of  the  faithless  and 
bloodthirsty  enemy.  What  property  could  not  be 
carried  away  was  burned  and  destroyed,  and  the  rem 
nant  of  the  settlers  were  driven,  naked  and  houseless, 
to  the  surrounding  mountains.  Lieutenant  Hollen- 


COLONEL  MATTHIAS  HOLLENBACK,      131 

back,  whose  property  was  all  destroyed,  still  clung  to 
the  Y alley,  and  participated  in  all  its  sufferings  till  the 
conclusion  of  the  war. 

"  Upon  the  settlement  of  the  controversy  between 
Pennsylvania  and  Connecticut,  and  upon  the  promul 
gation  of  the  laws  of  Pennsylvania  in  the  disputed  ter 
ritory  in  1786,  Mr.  Hollenback  was  chosen  and  ap 
pointed  one  of  the  justices  of  the  courts  of  Luzerne 
County ;  and  upon  the  adoption  of  the  new  Constitu 
tion  he  was  reappointed  an  associate  judge,  which  of 
fice  he  sustained  with  reputation  till  the  time  of  his 
decease.  He  was  honored  with  the  command  of  a 
regiment  by  his  fellow-citizens — a  military  office,  being 
almost  the  only  one  in  Pennsylvania  compatible  with 
that  of  a  judge. 

"  In  all  the  great  political  struggles  which  have  agi 
tated  the  country,  Judge  Hollenback  was  always  ac 
tively  and  firmly  attached  to  the  cause  of  the  people. 
In  the  recent  conflict,  although  most  of  those  around 
him  with  whom  he  had  been  accustomed  to  act  enter 
tained  different  views,  and  although  he  was  exceeding 
ly  enfeebled  by  disease,  he  procured  himself  to  be  car 
ried  to  the  poll,  and  there,  for  the  last  time,  exercised 
the  right  of  suffrage  in  favor  of  the  distinguished  in 
dividual  who  has  succeeded  to  the  presidency.  He 
was  firmly  persuaded  that  the  interests  of  the  country 
demanded  this  preference,  and  he  acted  accordingly.* 

*  Colonel  Hollenback's  preference  for  General  Jackson  as  a  can 
didate  for  the  presidency  was  natural,  there  being  many  strong 
points  of  character  which  the  two  men  possessed  in  common.  They 
were  both  old  soldiers  and  men  of  the  right  grit,  the  true  successors 
and  representatives  of  the  brave  old  knights  of  the  days  of  chivalry. 
When  Colonel  Hollenback's  carriage  arrived  before  the  court-house 
a  scene  occurred.  The  late  General  Isaac  Bowman,  standing  upon 
the  steps,  with  a  full  tone  of  voice  said,  "  Colonel  Hollenback,  the 


132  WYOMING. 

"  It  is  believed  that  lie  was  not  a  member  of  any 
'Christian  Church,  but  it  is  known  that  he  reverenced 
the  religion  of  the  Cross.  Throughout  his  life  he  con 
tributed  liberally  to  the  support  of  that  communion 
and  its  pastors,  to  which  he  was  conscientiously  attach 
ed,  and  it  is  feared  it  will  long  feel  the  want  of  his  sup 
porting  hand. 

"  His  life  was  a  life  of  temperance,  industry,  and  at 
tention  to  his  business,  the  full  fruits  of  which  he  en 
joyed,  in  almost  uninterrupted  health,  until  his  last  ill 
ness,  and  in  an  ample  fortune.  From  the  incidents  of 
his  life  the  young  may  draw  useful  lessons  for  the  reg 
ulation  of  their  conduct,  and  from  his  death  all  may 
learn  that  man  is  mortal:  that  neither  riches,  nor  hon 
ors,  nor  virtue,  nor  age,  can  form  any  shield  against  the 
fell  destroyer." 

old  soldier,  who  helped  fight  the  battles  of  the  Revolution,  has  left 
his  bed  to  come  and  vote  for  General  Jackson — the  last  vote  which 
he  will  ever  cast."  The  board  of  judges  came  out  and  took  the  vote. 
The  feelings  of  the  people  were  excited  to  a  high  pitch.  "Hurrah 
for  the  old  soldier!"  "Hurrah  for  Jackson!"  burst  forth  from  the 
spectators  in  all  directions.  It  is  said  that  some  who  had  already 
voted  for  the  opposing  candidate  joined  in  the  cheering,  and  others 
who  came  to  do  the  same  stepped  up  and  cast  their  votes  for  "the 
hero  of  New  Orleans." 


MRS.  MYERS.  133 


IV. 

INCIDENTS  AND  ADVENTURES  RELATED  BY  MRS. 
MARTHA  MYERS. 

"In  winter's  tedious  nights  sit  by  the  fire 
With  good  old  folks,  and  let  them  tell  their  tales 
Of  woeful  ages  long  ago  betide." 

SHAKSPEARE. 

THE  matter  contained  in  the  present  chapter  was 
communicated  to  us,  for  the  purpose  of  a  permanent 
record,  by  Mrs.  Myers,  in  the  month  of  August,  1841. 
We  have  connected  the  personal  incidents  with  the 
current  history  of  the  times  to  which  they  refer,  and 
have  often  supplied  dates.  The  facts  are  given,  as 
nearly  as  possible,  as  Mrs.  Myers  related  them,  and 
rest  upon  her  authority.  That  the  reader  may  be  able 
to  form  a  correct  judgment  as  to  the  amount  of  confi 
dence  which  is  to  be  placed  in  her  stories,  we  here  give 
endorsements  which  we  are  sure  will  be  entirely  satis 
factory. 

Hon.  Charles  Miner,  the  venerable  historian  of  "Wy 
oming,  says :  "  Some  years  ago,  when  Professor  Silli- 
man  was  in  the  Yalley,  he  visited  Mrs.  Myers,  and  I 
had  the  good  fortune  to  be  present  at  the  interview. 
Mrs.  Myers  has  been,  and  yet  is,  one  of  the  clearest 
chroniclers  of  the  early  scenes.  Though  the  light 

"  'Revisits  not  those  orbs,  that  roll  in  vain 
To  find  its  piercing  ray,' 

the  mental  eye  retains  all  its  early  power  and  lustre. 
Though  now — 1845 — eighty-two  years  of  age,  it  is  a 
pleasure  to  sit  by  her  side  and  hear 


134  WYOMING. 

"'  Of  most  disastrous  chances — hair-breadth  'scapes,' 

witnessed  in  her  eventful  youth." — Histor.  Append.,  p. 
14, 16. 

Mr.  Lossing,  after  visiting  Toby's  Eddy,  says: 
"  Thence  I  rode  to  the  residence  of  Mr.  Myers,  a  son 
of  the  venerable  lady  already  alluded  to,  where  I 
passed  an  interesting  hour  with  the  living  chronicle  of 
the  wars  of  Wyoming.  I  found  her  sitting  in  an  easy- 
chair,  peeling  apples,  and  her  welcome  was  as  cheerful 
and  as  cordial  as  she  could  have  given  to  a  cherished 
friend.  Her  memory  was  clear,  and  she  related  the 
incidents  of  her  girlhood  with  a  perspicuity  which 
evinced  remarkable  mental  vigor.  Although  blind 
ness  has  shut  out  the  beautiful,  and  deprived  her  of 
much  enjoyment,  yet  pious  resignation,  added  to  natu 
ral  vivacity,  makes  her  society  extremely  agreeable. 
'  I  am  like  a  withered  stalk,  whose  flower  hath  fallen,' 
said  she ;  '  but,'  she  added,  with  a  pleasant  smile,  ( the 
fragrance  still  lingers.'  " — Field-Book,  vol.  i.,  p.  371. 

Colonel  Stone  says:  "Near  the  site  of  the  fort  is 
the  residence  of  Mrs.  Myers,  a  widow  lady  of  great 
age,  but  of  clear  mind  and  excellent  memory,  who  is  a 
survivor  of  the  "Wyoming  invasion  and  the  horrible 
scenes  attending  it.  Mrs.  Myers  was  the  daughter  of 
a  Mr.  Bennet,  whose  family  was  renowned  in  the  do 
mestic  annals  of  Wyoming  both  for  their  patriotism 
and  their  courage." — History  of  Wyoming,  p.  213. 

This  is  the  lady  to  whose  story  we  now  invite  the 
attention  of  the  reader. 

Mrs.  Myers's  maiden  name  was  Bennet.  She  was 
born  in  Scituate,  Rhode  Island,  January  15, 1763.  Her 
father's  name  was  Thomas  Bennet;  her  mother's 
maiden  name  was  Martha  Jackson.  The  same  year 


MRS.  MYERS.  135 

on  which.  Martha  Bennet  was  born,  a  settlement  of 
Connecticut  people  was  commenced  in  Wyoming,  and 
Mr.  Bennet  rented  a  valuable  property  in  Ehode  Isl 
and,  and  removed  to  the  Delaware,  near  to  Strouds- 
burg.  He  took  quarters  there  with  a  company  of 
people  in  a  stone  house,  which  was  fortified  and  called 
a  fort.  Mr.  Bennet's  object  was  to  settle  in  Wyoming, 
and  accordingly  he  visited  that  famous  locality,  but, 
finding  the  Indians  surly,  he  for  the  time  abandoned 
the  project. 

The  hostile  savages  kept  close  watch  of  the  old  cas 
tle,  and  gave  the  occupants  no  little  annoyance.  The 
armed  men  there  sometimes  assumed  the  offensive,  and 
hunted  down  small  parties  of  Indians  who  were  stroll 
ing  about  the  woods  for  purposes  of  murder  and  plun 
der.  On  one  of  these  occasions  a  brave  old  colored 
man  took  the  lead,  and,  discovering  an  Indian  camp, 
he  fired  upon  the  unsuspecting  party,  and  laid  one  of 
them  dead  upon  the  ground.  The  rest  of  them  fled 
with  great  precipitation. 

One  instance  of  alarm  at  this  fort  terminated  with 
out  bloodshed.  In  the  dead  of  night  a  great  stamping 
was  heard  around  the  fort,  and  it  was  presumed  that  a 
large  company  of  mounted  Indians  had  hemmed  them 
in  on  every  side.  All  hands  within  were  soon  broad 
awake  and  fully  armed.  Every  man  examined  his 
priming,  and  was  ready  to  make  a  deadly  shot.  They 
disposed  their  force  as  advantageously  as  possible,  and 
sent  a  man  to  reconnoitre  from  the  roof.  It  was  soon 
found  that  the  invading  host  was  a  company  of  loose 
horses  in  a  nocturnal  frolic.  The  alarm,  of  course,  was 
turned  into  merriment. 

The  next  year  Mr.  Bennet  removed  to  Goshen,  ISTew 
York,  and  rented  a  farm  for  six  years.  He  set  his  sons 


136  WYOMING. 

at  work  upon  the  farm,  and  took  his  gun,  his  axe,  and 
hoe,  and  visited  the  much-coveted  valley.  Two  at 
tempts  to  effect  a  settlement  in  Wyoming  were  unsuc 
cessful  because  of  the  hostility  of  the  Indians,  Mr.  Ben- 
net  losing  all  his  labor,  but,  more  fortunate  than  some 
of  the  early  settlers,  escaping  with  his  life. 

In  February,  1769,  Mr.  Bennet  joined  a  company  of 
New  England  people,  forty  in  all,  who  built  a  fort  on 
the  west  bank  of  the  Susquehanna,  which,  in  honor  of 
the  forty  hardy  adventurers,  was  called  Forty  Fort. 
This  fort  was  designed  as  a  place  of  security  against 
the  Indians,  but,  withal  was  to  be  a  Yankee  fortifica 
tion,  where,  if  need  should  require,  the  New  England 
settlers  would  be  able  to  take  refuge  from  the  Penna- 
mites.  Mr.  Bennet  selected  a  situation  on  the  flats 
about  a  mile  above  the  fort,  and,  clearing  off  a  portion 
of  it,  put  in  some  seed. 

The  following  year,  1770,  Mr.  Bennet  united  with  a 
new  recruit  of  settlers,  and  paused  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Lackawanna,  where  they  built  a  block-house.  Here 
they  were  all  taken  into  custody  by  John  Jennings, 
sheriff  of  Northampton  County,  Pennsylvania.  As 
Sheriff  Jennings  was  proceeding  with  his  prisoners  to 
Easton,  "at  Wyoming,"  probably  Wilkesbarre,  Mr. 
Bennet  managed  to  escape,  and  returned  to  the  east. 
This  event  took  place  in  the  summer,  as  in  the  month 
of  September  he  was  at  the  east. — See  his  affidavit  in 
Pennsylvania  Archives,  vol.  iv.,  p.  391. 

In  September  Mr.  Bennet  made  arrangements  to  re 
move  his  family  to  Wyoming.  He  had  examined  the 
ground ;  he  understood  all  the  hazards  of  the  enter 
prise  ;  his  courage  was  equal  to  the  danger,  and  the 
question  was  settled.  As  to  property,  he  had  now  but 
little  to  lose,  for  he  had  sold  his  farm  in  Ehode  Island 


MRS.  MYERS.  137 

on  personal  security,  and  both  the  purchaser  and  se 
curity  had  failed,  and  the  whole  was  lost.  What  by 
industry  and  economy  had  been  saved  in  Goshen,  was 
now  put  into  as  compact  a  condition  as  possible,  and 
loaded  upon  pack-horses,  and  the  family  commenced 
their  march  toward  "  the  land  of  promise."  The  coun 
try  now  presented  a  striking  contrast  with  the  picture 
of  Wyoming  which  was  formed  in  the  imaginations  of 
Mr.  Bennet's  family.  The  grasshoppers  had  destroyed 
nearly  all  the  vegetation,  and  the  aspect  was  one  of 
utter  desolation. 

They  wound  their  way  over  the  mountains  and 
through  the  vales  until  they  came  to  Shehola,  on  the 
west  side  of  the  Delaware,  and  here  they  were  hospi 
tably  entertained  by  a  Quaker  by  the  name  of  Wires. 
The  next  morning  "  Friend  Wires"  accompanied  the 
miniature  caravan  as  far  as  "the  little  meadows,"  where 
they  took  refreshments.  Mrs.  Bennet  was  boiling  some 
chocolate  over  a  fire  made  by  the  side  of  a  log.  She 
seemed  unusually  sad.  "I  don't  know,"  said  she, 
"what  I  am  about  to  meet:  I  think  something  pretty 
heavy."  It  was  not  long  before  several  men  came  up 
from  Wyoming — one  bleeding  from  a  wound  made  on 
his  head  by  a  club — and  reported  that  the  Pennamites 
had  taken  possession  of  the  fort,  and  were  resolved 
upon  driving  off  all  the  New  England  settlers. 

A  consultation  was  now  held  upon  the  proper  course 
to  be  pursued.  Mr.  Bennet  was  a  man  of  cool  courage, 
and  he  had  made  up  his  mind  to  try  his  fortunes  upon 
the  fertile  soil  of  Wyoming,  and  he  was  not  to  be  turn 
ed  aside  from  that  purpose  by  any  thing  but  stern  in 
vincible  necessity.  He  was  bent  upon  going  on ;  but 
what  would  he  do  with  his  family  ?  Mrs.  Bennet,  who 
was  not  easily  intimidated,  said,  "  If  it  were  not  for  the 


138  WYOMING. 

children,  I  would  go  along."  "  Friend  Wires"  said, 
"Leave  the  children  with  me;  I  will  take  care  of 
them."  Stimulated  by  the  courage  of  Mr.  Bennet  and 
his  wife,  the  two  men  who  had  fled  from  the  country 
resolved  to  return  and  try  their  luck  again. 

Mr.  Bennet  was  a  great  hunter,  and  the  wild  woods 
had  more  attractions  for  him  than  the  old  settled  coun 
try  at  the  east :  for  himself,  he  could  live  any  where  in 
the  Susquehanna  Mountains  by  the  aid  of  his  rifle  and 
hunting-knife.  Mrs.  Bennet  was  not  so  cool  as  her 
husband,  but  was  equally  firm  in  her  purposes,  and 
unterrified  by  danger.  The  company  thought  to  find 
shelter  for  the  time  being  with  a  Mr.  Chapman,  who 
had  built  a  mill  at  Mill  Creek,  and  who  had  been  a 
neighbor  and  a  friend  of  the  Bennet  family  in  Goshen. 

When  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bennet  reached  Wyoming,  they 
found  the  dispute  between  the  New  England  and  Penn 
sylvania  settlers  had  already  ripened  into  open  war. 
Captain  Ogden,  the  Pennamite  leader,  had  built  a 
block-house,  which  was  called  a  fort,  at  the  mouth  of 
Mill  Creek,  and  had  in  his  company  Deputy  Sheriff 
Jennings.  Mr.  Bennet  was  a  peaceable  man,  and  did 
not  enter  at  once  into  the  war,  but  took  possession  of 
a  small  log  house  he  had  previously  built  on  the  flats, 
just  above  Forty  Fort.  The  grain  he  had  put  in,  be 
fore  his  return  to  Goshen  in  the  spring,  presented  a 
most  delightful  prospect  of  an  abundance  of  provisions 
for  the  following  winter. 

The  Yankees — that  is,  the  fighters — invested  the 
block-house,  when  Ogden  proposed  a  parley.  But  no 
sooner  had  the  besiegers  entered  the  block-house  to 
hold  a  conversation  with  the  besieged,  than  Jennings 
served  a  writ  on  them,  in  the  name  of  the  Common 
wealth  of  Pennsylvania.  They  were  thirty-seven  in 


MRS.  MYERS.  139 

all ;  and  they  were  all  taken  to  Easton,  a  distance  of 
sixty  miles,  to  jail.  They  obtained  bail,  and  imme 
diately  returned.  Again  they  were  captured  and  sent 
off  to  jail,  and  again  they  were  released  on  bail,  and 
returned.  A  re-enforcement  of  270  or  280  Yankees, 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Durkee,  came  on,  and 
built  a  fort  where  Wilkesbarre  now  stands,  which  they 
named,  in  honor  of  their  leader,  Fort  Durkee.  The 
Yankees  now  held  the  ground,  and  proceeded  to  the 
work  of  clearing  farms  and  building.  "  The  children" 
were  brought  on  from  Shehola,  and  Mr.  Bennet  was 
comfortably  ensconced  in  his  log  cabin  with  his  family. 

But  a  few  months  of  quiet  had  passed  before  the 
Pennsylvanians  came  on  with  an  augmented  force,  un 
der  the  command  of  Ogden  and  Patterson,  the  latter 
bringing  up  the  river  in  a  boat  a  four-pounder.  Og 
den  captured  Captain  Durkee,  and  put  him  in  irons, 
and  took  possession  of  the  fort. 

The  Yankees  were  now  pillaged,  and,  as  far  as  pos 
sible,  driven  from  the  country.  The  house  and  prem 
ises  generally  belonging  to  Mr.  Bennet  were  robbed ; 
grain,  cattle,  and  every  thing  movable,  which  could  be 
found,  were  taken  from  him,  but  he  did  not  leave  the 
valley. 

The  Pennsylvanians  now  considered  their  victory 
complete.  Ogden  went  to  Philadelphia,  leaving  a  few 
men  in  the  fort.  In  the  mean  time,  Captain  Lazarus 
Stuart  came  on  with  forty  brave  fellows,  and  drove 
out  the  small  guard  from  the  fort,  took  possession  of 
the  cannon,  and  turned  the  tide  once  more  in  favor  of 
the  Yankees.  Mr.  Bennet  now  took  up  quarters  in 
Fort  Durkee,  both  as  a  measure  of  safety  and  of  com 
fort.  Here  Mrs.  Bennet  contracted  an  intimacy  with 
Mrs.  Manning  and  her  daughters,  who  lived  on  the 


140  WYOMING. 

flats  below  the  fort.  Her  husband,  by  education  and 
profession,  was  a  Friend,  and  yet,  for  some  reason,  he 
was  called  Captain  Manning.  The  Manning  family 
were  Pennsylvanians,  but  were  non-combatants,  and, 
consequently,  could  contract  friendly  alliances  with 
Yankee  families. 

In  the  winter  of  1771,  Ogden  again  made  his  appear 
ance,  and  invested  Fort  Durkee.  His  brother  Nathan 
was  killed  by  a  shot  from  the  fort,  Mrs.  Bennet  wit 
nessing  the  event.  Stuart,  finding  himself  unable  to 
hold  out  against  the  superior  numbers  of  the  Pennsyl 
vanians,  managed  to  steal  away,  when  the  Pennamites 
took  possession. 

Captain  Ogden  was  terribly  enraged  by  the  death 
of  his  brother,  and,  seizing  several  prominent  Yan 
kees  who  happened  to  be  in  the  fort,  sent  them  to 
Philadelphia  in  irons,  charged  with  being  concerned 
in  the  murder.  Mr.  Bennet  did  not  belong  to  Stuart's 
party  of  fighting  men,  but  had  taken  shelter  in  the 
fort,  with  his.  family,  when  he  considered  their  lives  in 
imminent  peril.  Stuart,  with  his"  men,  left  the  fort, 
and  Mr.  Bennet  fell  into  Ogden's  hands ;  and  he,  with 
out  the  slightest  reason,  excepting  that  he  was  in  the 
fort  at  the  time,  was  one  of  the  suspected  parties,  and 
was  obliged  to  endure  the  sufferings  and  disgrace  of  a 
suspected  felon  for  five  months  in  jail  in  Philadelphia. 

The  explanation  of  this  affair  is  to  be  found  in  the 
fact  that  an  "  inquisition"  was  held  over  the  body  of 
Nathan  Ogden  by  Charles  Stuart,  January  21,  1771, 
by  which  it  was  found  that  said  Ogden  was  shot  by  "a 
certain  Lazarus  Stuart."  But  on  the  back  of  the  re 
port  of  the  inquest  is  found  "  a  list  of  the  rioters  in  the 
fort  at  Wyoming  when  Nathan  Ogden  was  killed." 
There  are  forty-seven  of  these  "rioters,"  embracing 


MRS.  MYERS. 

nearly  all  the  respectable  Yankee  settlers  then  in  the 
country.  Thomas  Bennet  was  among  these  so  called 
"rioters,"  and  was  taken  up  as  a  party  to  the  murder. 
The  same  evil  befell  several  other  individuals,  and 
might  have  befallen  any  of  the  number  upon  the  list. 
— See  Pennsylvania  Archives,  vol.  iv.,  p.  384. 

Captain  Manning  had  raised  a  fine  crop  of  corn, 
which  he  had  stored  away  in  the  garret  of  his  log 
house.  As  he  practiced  upon  the  principles  of  non- 
resistance,  he  could  neither  be  a  good  Pennamite  nor 
a  good  Yankee,  and  the  consequence  was  that  he  was 
often  persecuted  by  both,  as  one  or  the  other  happen 
ed  to  be  in  power.  When  Ogden  took  possession  of 
the  fort,  some  of  "  the  boys"  laid  a  plan  to  rob  Captain 
Manning  of  his  corn.  The  old  Quaker  had  two  buxom 
girls,  one  of  whom,  it  was  suspected,  had  a  lover  among 
"the  Pennsylvania  boys,"  and  it  was  supposed  that 
this  fact  would  account  for  certain  secret  communica 
tions  which  were  made  to  the  Mannings  with  regard 
to  the  movements  of  the  Pennamites.  By  some  means, 
no  matter  what,  the  family  got  wind  of  the  plundering 
expedition,  and  were  thrown  into  great  perplexities. 
The  old  gentleman  could  not  fight,  and  as  to  magis 
trates  and  courts  there  were  none  to  resort  to.  While 
he  sat  in  the  corner  brooding  over  his  helpless  condi 
tion,  his  two  daughters,  who  were  large,  muscular,  and 
courageous,  hit  upon  a  plan  of  defense ;  and,  upon 
opening  it  to  the  good  old  Friend,  it  seemed  to  look  so 
little  like  war  and  bloodshed  that  he  gave  it  the  sanc 
tion  of  his  silence.  The  girls  hung  over  the  fire  a  large 
iron  kettle,  and  filled  it  with  water,  which,  when  the 
assailants  made  their  appearance  before  the  door,  was 
boiling  hot.  They  then  took  an  instrument,  vulgarly 
called  a  squirt-gun,  constructed  of  the  barrel  of  an  old 


WYOMING. 

musket,  and  through  the  chinks  between  the  logs  sent 
a  jet  of  the  boiling  water  into  the  face  and  eyes  of 
the  assailants.  A  few  shots  were  enough  to  conquer 
the  courage  of  the  gallant  band,  who  immediately 
took  to  their  heels,  and  put  themselves  beyond  the 
reach  of  the  formidable  engine  so  efficiently  served. 
The  assailants  ran  off  frantic  with  pain,  while  the  girls 
shook  their  sides  with  laughter;  and  the  good  old 
Quaker  was  scarcely  suspected  of  a  dereliction  of  prin 
ciple,  although  no  one  doubted  but  that  he  enjoyed  the 
battle-scene  to  a  high  degree. 

The  perpetual  annoyances  to  which  this  quiet  man 
was  subjected  induced  him  to  resolve  upon  taking  a 
position  a  little  farther  from  the  centre  of  action.  He 
consequently  constructed  a  rude  cabin  upon  Lacka- 
wanna  Island — now  called  Scofield's  Island — near  the 
head  of  the  Yalley.  The  cabin  was  built  on  each  side 
of  a  large  fallen  tree,  which  lay  high  above  the  ground. 
The  roof  was  made  of  peeled  bark,  and  the  tree  con 
stituted  the  ridge-pole.  As  the  Mannings  were  about 
to  ship  their  effects  on  board  of  a  canoe,  Mrs.  Manning 
said  to  Mrs.  Bennet,  "  Friend  Bennet,  come  go  with 
us  to  the  island ;  the  boys  shall  have  as  much  ground 
as  they  can  work,  and  there  is  room  enough  in  the 
cabin  for  us  both ;  thee  shall  take  one  side  of  the  tree, 
and  I  will  take  the  other."  This  was  too  good  an  offer 
to  be  despised.  Fort  Durkee  was  now  in  the  hands 
of  the  Pennamites,  and  every  few  weeks  they  were 
running  over  the  Yalley,  and  giving  the  Yankees  who 
had  the  courage  to  remain  at  their  homes  infinite  trou 
ble  and  vexation — not  being  particularly  courteous 
even  to  the  women,  who  had  the  assurance  to  stick  to 
the  stuff  when  their  husbands  were  driven  off  or  sent 
to  prison.  Under  these  circumstances,  Mrs.  Bennet 


MRS.  MYEHS.  143 

gladly  accepted  the  generous  offer  of  her  friend ;  and 
"the  boys"  also  loaded  their  canoe,  and  the  two  fam 
ilies  pushed  up  the  stream  in  company,  and  arranged 
their  scanty  catalogue  of  furniture  and  fixtures  in  the 
cabin.  The  Bennet  boys  had  managed  to  save  some 
grain,  which  they  concealed  at  the  head  of  the  island. 

In  the  mean  time  Mr.  Bennet  had  been  discharged, 
and  had  returned  worn  out  with  his  tedious  imprison 
ment,  and  badly  discouraged.  Captain  Zebulon  But 
ler  had  come  on  with  a  new  recruit  of  Yankees,  and 
had  shut  up  Ogden  in  the  fort  at  Mill  Creek,  and  cut 
off  his  supplies.  This  was  in  the  spring  of  1771.  Og 
den  found  it  necessary  to  communicate  with  the  Penn 
sylvania  officials  at  Philadelphia,  and,  not  willing  to 
run  the  risk  of  sending  a  messenger,  who  would  prob 
ably  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Yankees,  resolved  upon 
an  ingenious  and  daring  enterprise.  He  made  his 
clothes  into  a  bundle,  and  fastened  his  hat  on  the  top 
of  it,  then  tied  to  it  a  small  cord  some  twenty  feet  long. 
Taking  up  his  bundle,  he  walked  out  into  the  current, 
and  floated  down  on  his  back  ahead  of  his  hat  and 
clothes.  Of  course,  this  enterprise  was  undertaken  in 
the  night.  The  Yankee  sentinels  saw  the  suspicious- 
looking  object,  and  riddled  the  hat  with  bullets,  but 
Ogden  escaped  unhurt,  and  soon  reached  Philadelphia. 
He  dashed  about,  and  soon  raised  a  quantity  of  pro 
visions  and  a  new  company  of  recruits,  commanded  by 
Captain  John  Dick.  They  stealthily  entered  the  Yal- 
ley,  and  eagerly  awaited  a  favorable  opportunity  of 
throwing  themselves,  with  their  pack-horses  loaded 
with  provisions,  into  the  fort. 

David  Ogden,  a  brother  of  the  captain,  was  one  of 
the  company,  and  learning  that  Thomas  Bennet  had 
returned  from  Philadelphia,  and  was  with  his  family 


144  WYOMING. 

on  Lackawanna  Island,  set  off,  with  a  small  posse,  in 
pursuit  of  him.  The  capture  or  murder  of  Bennet 
would  be  a  clever  little  adventure  while  they  were 
waiting  for  a  few  hours  for  a  favorable  opportunity  to 
elude  the  besiegers  and  get  into  the  fort.  Ogden  knew 
the  ground  perfectly,  and  easily  eluded  observation 
until  he  found  his  way  to  the  bank  of  the  river  over 
against  the  island.  The  Mannings  had  received  the 
intelligence  of  the  arrival  of  Captains  Ogden  and  Dick 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  fort,  and  of  David  Ogden's 
intended  visit  to  the  island.  The  young  Pennamite 
lover  had  made  occasional  visits  to  the  island,  and 
nothing  was  kept  from  his  lady  friend  that  might  be 
of  any  interest  to  the  family. 

When  Ogden  and  his  friends  showed  themselves 
upon  the  beach,  Mrs.  Manning  said,  "  David  Ogden  is 
coming  over  the  river.  Bennet,  thee  must  clear  out 
or  be  killed."  Mr.  Bennet  replied,  "  I  may  as  well  die 
one  way  as  another.  I  have  been  in  jail  until  I  am 
worn  out ;  they  have  robbed  me  of  all  I  have  in  the 
world,  and  now  let  them  kill  me  if  they  will."  The 
women,  however,  roused  him  from  his  deep  despond 
ency  by  seizing  him  by  the  arms  and  shoving  him  out 
of  the  door  just  in  time  to  make  his  escape.  He  hid 
himself  in  the  thick  undergrowth,  while  Ogden  entered 
the  cabin  with  the  words,  "Is  Bennet  here?"  The 
answer  was  "No."  Mrs.  Bennet  asked,  "What  do 
you  want  of  him?"  adding,  "If  you  should  find  him, 
you  would  do  no  harm  to  him."  "Where  is  he?" 
demanded  Ogden,  in  an  angry  tone.  Mrs.  Manning 
replied,  "  He  is  not  here."  Ogden  repeatedly  swore 
that,  if  he  could  find  him,  he  would  shoot  him.  He 
went  out  and  scoured  the  woods,  but  with  no  success. 
After  informing  Mrs.  Manning  that  they  intended  to 


MRS.  MYERS.  145 

enter  the  fort  the  next  morning  before  daybreak,  and 
after  satisfying  their  hunger  with  the  good  things  of 
the  cabin,  they  departed,  but  did  not  immediately  leave 
the  island.  Judging  rightly  that  Mr.  Bennet  would 
soon  come  forth  from  his  concealment,  they  hid  them 
selves  within  gunshot  of  the  cabin.  When  it  was  sup 
posed  that  Ogden  and  his  men  had  crossed  the  main 
branch  of  the  river,  Mr.  Bennet's  sons  went  out  and 
called  him,  and  he  came  in.  He  sat  down  in  a  sad 
state  of  mind,  and  Martha  seated  herself  in  his  lap,  and 
flung  her  arms  about  his  neck,  and  commenced  caress 
ing  him,  and  condoling  with  him  in  view  of  his  troub 
les  and  dangers;  and  the  sympathy  of  the  child  in 
this  instance  was  a  substantial  good,  for  it  actually 
saved  the  life  of  the  father.  Ogden  afterward  said  he 
intended  to  have  shot  Bennet,  and  should  have  done 
it  but  for  the  fear  of  killing  the  child  The  judgment 
of  charity  is  that  it  was  not  merely  as  a  Yankee  that 
Ogden  had  formed  the  deliberate  purpose  to  take  Mr. 
Bennet's  life,  but  as  an  accessory  to  the  death  of  his 
brother.  But  Mr.  Bennet  was  in  no  way  connected 
with  that  deed:  its  perpetrator  afterward  fell  in  the 
Indian  battle,  as  several  affidavits  to  be  found  in  the 
archives  of  the  state  abundantly  prove. 

On  being  informed  of  Captain  Ogden's  intended  en 
trance  into  the  fort  early  the  next  morning,  Mr.  Ben- 
net,  upon  the  pretense  of  going  out  to  catch  some  eels, 
in  the  evening  crossed  the  river,  and  went  down  to 
the  Yankee  lines,  and  communicated  the  information. 
When  the  Pennsylvanians  made  a  rush  upon  the  be 
siegers  just  before  day,  they  found  them  fully  prepared 
for  them.  They  lost  their  pack-horses  and  provisions. 
Several  horses  were  shot  down  under  their  riders,  and 
a  number  of  the  party  were  severely  wounded.  Cap- 

G 


WYOMING. 

tains  Ogden  and  Dick  succeeded  in  entering  the  fort 
with  about  twenty  of  their  men,  but  they  entered  to 
find  famine  and  despondency  staring  them  in  the  face 
on  every  side,  and  to  feel  the  mortification  of  having 
contributed  a  considerable  stock  of  provisions  to  the 
Yankee  force. 

Captain  Dick,  in  his  report,  says :  "  The  information 
of  our  coming  was  received  by  the  Yankees  through 
a  letter  falling  into  their  hands,  with  which  an  Indian 
was  sent  by  Captain  Ogden." — See  Miner's  History,  p. 
131.  This  was  Captain  Dick's  supposition.  The  fact 
is,  that  the  credit  of  giving  the  information  to  Captain 
Butler  is  due  to  Thomas  Bennet. 

The  besieged  Pennsylvanians,  finding  it  impossible 
longer  to  hold  out,  capitulated,  and  left  Wyoming. 
The  Manning  family  had  really  been  serviceable  to 
the  Yankee  cause  by  their  connection  with  the  Ben- 
net  family,  to  whom  they  owed  a  hearty  good-will,  and 
from  whom  they  kept  no  secret  which  might  be  serv 
iceable  to  them  or  their  friends,  and  yet  they  were  not 
in  the  confidence  of  the  Yankee  leaders,  who  resolved 
to  drive  them  from  the  country.  In  pursuance  of 
this  resolution,  on  the  day  of  the  capitulation,  Cap 
tain  Fuller,  one  of  the  Yankee  officers,  carne  to  the 
island  with  a  company  of  men,  and  coming  up  to  the 
cabin,  cried  out,  "  What  are  you  doing  here,  you 
Pennamites  ?  Clear  out,  or  I'll  burn  your  cabin  over 
your  heads."  Captain  Manning  paused  not  to  reason 
with  the  fierce  Yankee,  but  immediately  commenced 
packing  his  goods  and  loading  them  in  a  canoe.  He 
left  Wyoming  never  to  return.  He  settled  upon  the 
west  branch  of  the  Susquehanna. 

Captain  Fuller  now  said,  "  Bennet,  you  have  suf 
fered  enough.  Come  down  to  Fort  Lukins,  and  you 


MRS.  MYERS.  147 

shall  have  as  good  a  lot  as  there  is  there."  Mr.  Ben- 
net  took  his  family  down  to  the  fort,  but  refused  to 
take  up  his  residence  there.  He  fitted  up  an  old  horse- 
shed  in  Forty  Fort,  and  made  it  a  comfortable  resi 
dence  for  those  times  and  for  that  country,  in  which 
his  family  lived  for  more  than  two  years.  During  this 
period  Mrs.  Bennet  presented  her  husband  with  an 
other  daughter — the  late  Mrs.  Tuttle,  of  Kingston — and 
Martha  began  to  develop  extraordinary  skill  at  house 
work,  and  great  power  of  endurance. 

The  tide  had  now  turned  in  favor  of  the  New  En 
gland  settlers,  and  large  accessions  were  made  to  their 
numbers.  Colonel  Denison  came  in  from  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  and  took  board  with  Mr.  Bennet.  He  was 
married  to  Betsy  Sill,  this  being  the  first  match  con 
summated  among  the  settlers. 

All  this  time  the  Indians  were  numerous,  but  very 
quiet.  When  Mr.  Bennet  was  taken  a  prisoner  to  Phil 
adelphia,  some  of  them  earnestly  urged  Mrs.  Bennet  to 
come  with  her  children  and  live  among  them;  evi 
dently  considering  her  life  in  danger  from  the  Penna- 
mites,  they  wished  to  afford  her  shelter  and  protec 
tion. 

We  have  seen  that  Mr.  Bennet  had  been  sent  to 
Philadelphia  to  jail  as  one  of  "  the  rioters  in  the  fort  at 
Wyoming,  January  21st,  1771,  when  Nathan  Ogden 
was  murdered,"  but  had  been  discharged  after  an  im 
prisonment  of  five  months.  Another  of  these  ' l  rioters, ' ' 
as  they  were  called,  was  a  man  by  the  name  of  Wil 
liam  Speedy.  He  was  somewhat  in  years,  and  was 
called  "  Old  Speedy ;"  but  his  age  could  not  abate  the 
rigor  of  the  Pennsylvania  authorities,  for  they  kept 
him  in  close  confinement  in  Philadelphia  for  more  than 
two  years.  How,  where,  or  precisely  when  Speedy 


148  WYOMING. 

was  captured  and  committed  to  jail  we  are  not  able  to 
say,  but  his  final  examination  must  have  taken  place 
some  time  in  the  year  1775.  Mrs.  Myers  says,  when 
her  sister  Polly  was  two  years  old,  and  she  was  twelve, 
her  mother  was  desired  to  go  to  Philadelphia  as  a  wit 
ness  in  favor  of  Speedy,  who  was  to  be  tried  for  the 
murder  of  Nathan  Ogden.  This  journey  Mrs.  Bennet 
performed  alone  on  horseback,  a  distance  of  120  miles, 
most  of  the  way  through  the  wilderness.  When  she 
reached  Philadelphia  she  found  that  the  court  had  ad 
journed,  and  she  then  made  a  journey  to  Goshen  and 
attended  to  some  business.  When  the  trial  came  on 
she  was  present,  and  her  testimony  cleared  Speedy. 
He  was  wasted  away  to  a  mere  skeleton.  When  he 
was  discharged  his  joy  and  gratitude  overleaped  all 
bounds.  He  fell  upon  his  knees  before  Mrs.  Bennet, 
and  almost  worshiped  her.  "Get  up,  Speedy,"  said 
she ;  "I  have  done  no  more  than  any  one  ought  to  do 
for  a  fellow-creature."  He  kissed  her  hand  and  bathed 
it  with  tears.  It  is  refreshing  to  find  that  in  these  stern 
and  almost  barbarous  times  the  law  of  kindness  and 
feelings  of  gratitude  had  not  become  utterly  erased 
from  the  human  mind. 

Mrs.  Bennet  returned  home  after  an  absence  of  some 
weeks,  during  which  Martha  had  been  nurse,  kitchen- 
maid,  and  governess.  She  brought  water  from  a  cold 
spring  which  boils  up  at  the  river's  edge,  below  a 
high,  steep  bank.  The  child  would  scarcely  ever  con 
sent  to  be  left  alone,  and  this  made  it  necessary  for 
Martha  to  carry  her  down  to  the  spring,  and  bring  her 
up  on  one  arm,  while  she  brought  a  pail  of  water  with 
the  other.  She  did  the  housework  for  the  family, 
consisting  of  her  father,  three  brothers,  herself,  and  sis 
ter,  including  baking  and  washing,  during  her  moth- 


MRS.  MYERS.  149 

er's  absence.  This,  for  a  girl  of  her  age,  was  no  small 
task.  She  says,  "  It  was  a  hard  siege,  but  I  -had 
strength  given  me  for  the  trial." 

Three  years  of  quiet  in  the  settlement  had  resulted 
in  a  high  degree  of  prosperity.  Plenty  had  crowned 
the  labor  of  the  settlers,  and  there  had  been  a  large 
accession  to  their  numbers  from  the  New  England 
States,  not  merely  consisting  of  young,  hardy  adven 
turers,  but  the  old  and  infirm  came  on,  with  their  chil 
dren  and  grandchildren,  to  spend -the  remnant  of  their 
days  in  "  the  beautiful  valley,"  and  to  lay  their  bones 
beneath  its  green  sod. 

Mr.  Bennet  built  a  "  double  log  house"  on  his  land, 
which  Mrs. Myers  says  "was  then  called  a  good  house." 
"We  removed,"  says  she,  "to  our  new  house,  raised 
good  crops  of  grain,  and  had  a  fine  stock  of  horses  and 
cattle.  We  sold  grain  and  bought  articles  of  conven 
ience  from  the  Middletown  boats.  Father  and  broth 
ers  hunted  beaver,  bears,  deer,  raccoons,  wild  turkeys, 
etc.,  and  we  were  in  comfortable  circumstances.  Game 
was  abundant  at  this  period;  we  often  saw  wolves, 
bears,  and  deer  swimming  the  river.  One  night  a  fe 
rocious  animal  entered  the  yard,  and  so  wounded  one 
of  the  young  cattle  that  it  was  found  necessary  to  kill 
it.  Father  and  brothers  seized  their  guns  when  they 
heard  the  disturbance,  but  the  savage  beast  bounded 
off  just  in  time  to  save  himself;  they  saw  him  escape, 
and,  as  near  as  they  could  judge  from  a  mere  glance, 
it  was  a  panther." 

In  December  of  this  year  (1775)  the  famous  expe 
dition  of  Colonel  Plunkett  took  place.  The  New  En 
gland  people  prepared  to  give  the  colonel  a  warm  re 
ception  at  the  head  of  the  narrows,  on  both  sides  of 
the  river.  Mr.  Bennet  and  his  son  Solomon  were  at 


150  WYOMING. 

the  breastworks  below  Shawnee  for  two  weeks,  and 
Mr^.  Bennet  took  down  to  them  a  horse-load  of  pro 
visions  at  two  different  times.  Men,  old  and  young, 
boys  and  women,  were  all  on  hand  to  act  their  part  in 
the  defense  of  their  homes.  After  an  unsuccessful  at 
tempt  to  storm  the  Yankee  works,  the  gallant  colonel 
undertook  to  take  his  forces  in  a  bateau  across  the 
river.  The  first  boat-load,  which,  it  is  said,  Colonel 
Plunkett  commanded  in  person,  was  saluted  by  a  brisk 
fire  from  the  bushes  by  Lieutenant  Stuart  and  his  men, 
and  one  of  the  Pennamites  was  killed  and  several 
wounded.  The  gallant  colonel  lay  down  in  the  bottom 
of  the  boat,  and  ordered  the  men  to  push  out  into  the 
river  and  go  over  the  falls.  The  party  in  the  boat 
and  those  left  upon  the  west  side  of  the  river  met  at 
the  foot  of  the  rapids,  and,  upon  consultation,  con 
cluded  that  it  was  so  late  in  the  season,  and  the  ice  was 
accumulating  so  fast,  that  "  prudence  would  be  the  bet 
ter  part  of  valor,"  and  the  Pennamite  army  returned 
home  with  diminished  numbers,  no  spoils,  and  no  ad 
dition  to  their  reputation  for  either  tact  or  courage. 

Colonel  Plunkett  and  his  band  were  sadly  chagrined 
at  their  defeat.  They  had  not  the  slightest  doubts  of 
success  until  they  saw  the  impregnable  position  of  the 
Yankees,  and  the  spirit  with  which  it  was  maintained. 
It  is  said  that  the  wives  of  the  officers  bespoke,  in  ad 
vance,  a  portion  of  the  plunder :  one  wanted  a  feather 
bed,  another  a  silk  dress,  and  another  a  smart  Yankee 
girl  for  a  servant.  These  anticipations  were  all  blast 
ed,  and  the  only  reasons  which  the  adventurous  offi 
cers  had  to  give  in  justification  of  themselves  was,  that 
the  wild  Yankees  had  assembled  in  thousands,  and  fill 
ed  the  woods  on  both  sides  of  the  river ;  that  they  had 
availed  themselves  of  the  perpendicular  ledge  of  rocks 


MRS.  MYERS.  151 

from  which  no  force  could  dislodge  them,  and  the  river 
was  rapidly  filling  up  with  ice.  In  all  this  the  num 
bers  of  the  Yankee  force  were  vastly  exaggerated ; 
and  as  for  the  rest,  a  sagacious  commander  ought  to 
have  understood  the  ground  beforehand. 

The  expedition  of  Colonel  Plunkett  terminates  the 
first  period  of  this  unnatural  war — a  war  which  was 
not  only  a  public  calamity,  but  inflicted  untold  griefs 
upon  persons  and  parties  who  pined  and  writhed  un 
der  its  consequences  in  private,  who  never  troubled 
the  public  with  their  heart-crushing  griefs.  Young 
Lukins,  son  of  the  surveyor  general,  was  at  Sunbury 
at  the  time  Plunkett  set  out  for  Wyoming,  and  he 
went  with  him  merely  for  the  romance  of  the  thing. 
The  poor  fellow  was  killed.  "  His  death,"  says  Mrs. 
Myers,  "was  much  lamented  by  the  settlers :  his  father 
was  a  very  worthy  man,  and  was  much  respected." 

Mr.  Miner  gives  an  affecting  incident  of  the  death 
of  another  young  man.  He  forced  his  way  near  the 
Yankee  line ;  a  Yankee  marksman  watched  his  op 
portunity,  and  shot  him  down.  After  the  battle  he 
visited  the  spot,  and  found  a  hat-band  which  he  judged 
had  been  cut  by  the  ball  from  his  rifle.  Going  down  the 
river  with  lumber  many  years  afterward,  he  received 
the  hospitalities  of  a  fine  old  gentleman.  The  conver 
sation  turned  upon  the  former  troubles  in  "Wyoming. 
"  I  lost  a  beloved  son  in  the  Plunkett  invasion,"  said 
the  father ;  and,  producing  the  hat,  said,  "  The  bullet 
must  have  cut  the  band."  The  big  tear  stood  in  his 
eye  while  he  held  up  the  sad  memento  of  his  son's 
hapless  fate.  Of  course,  the  scene  was  painful  to  the 
visitor,  who  declared  that  he  never  before  realized  the 
extent  of  the  calamities  of  war.  Ah !  and  this  was  a 
war  between  brothers — a  feud  in  a  family. 


152  WYOMING. 

"Brother  with  brother  waged  unnatural  strife  ; 
Severed  were  all  the  charities  of  life  : 
Two  passions — virtues  they  assumed  to  be — 
Virtues  they  were — romantic  loyalty, 
And  stern,  unyielding  patriotism,  possess'd 
Divided  empire  in  the  nation's  breast ; 
As  though  two  hearts  might  in  one  body  reign, 
And  urge  conflicting  streams  from  vein  to  vein." 

JAMES  MONTGOMERY. 


REVOLUTIONARY  WAR — TROUBLE  WITH  THE  INDIANS. 

The  expedition  of  Colonel  Plunkett  was  the  last  ef 
fort  of  the  proprietary  government  of  the  Colony  of 
Pennsylvania  to  remove  the  New  England  people  from 
"Wyoming.  The  prospects  of  a  rupture  with  the  par 
ent  government  now  absolutely  demanded  union,  and 
Congress  passed  resolutions  recommending  "that  the 
contending  parties  immediately  cease  all  hostilities,  and 
avoid  every  appearance  of  force  until  the  dispute  could 
be  legally  decided."  This  wise  recommendation  had 
its  influence  upon  the  more  considerate  and  prudent 
of  both  parties,  while  the  common  danger  from  the 
hostility  of  the  savages  suggested  the  folly  and  mad 
ness  of  the  longer  continuance  of  the  feud.  There 
was  no  difference  of  feeling  between  the  Pennamites 
and  Yankees  upon  the  question  of  American  liberty 
and  independence. 

On  the  19th  of  April  the  battle  of  Lexington  had 
been  fought,  and  on  the  17th  of  June  that  of  Bunker 
Hill.  The  interest  of  these  momentous  events  was  felt 
in  the  wilds  of  Wyoming,  as  will  be  clearly  seen  by 
the  records  of  certain  public  proceedings  which  are 
left  upon  the  minutes  of  the  town.  Witness  the  fol 
lowing  : 

"At  a  meeting  of  ye  proprietors  and  settlers  of  ye 


MRS.  MYERS.  153 

town  of  Westmoreland,  August  1, 1775,  Mr.  John  Jen 
kins  was  chosen  moderator  for  ye  work  of  ye  day. 
Voted,  that  this  town  does  now  vote  that  they  will 
strictly  observe  and  follow  ye  rules  and  regulations  of 
ye  honorable  Continental  Congress,  now  sitting  at  Phil 
adelphia. 

"  Resolved  by  this  toivn,  That  they  are  willing  to  make 
any  accommodation  with  ye  Pennsylvania  party  that 
shall  conduce  to  ye  best  good  of  ye  whole,  not  infring 
ing  on  ye  property  of  any  person,  and  come  in  c'om- 
mon  cause  of  liberty  in  ye  defense  of  America,  and 
that  we  will  amicably  give  them  ye  offer  of  joining  in 
ye  proposals  as  soon  as  may  be." 

On  the  8th  of  August,  the  same  year,  a  meeting  was 
held,  made  up  of  both  New  England  and  Pennsylva 
nia  people,  at  which  a  patriotic  resolution  was  passed, 
which  concluded  with  these  words :  "  And  will  unani 
mously  join  our  brethren  in  America  in  the  common  cause 
of  defending  our  liberty" 

July  4th,  1776,  the  ever-memorable  Declaration  of 
American  Independence  was  passed  by  the  Continent 
al  Congress,  and  August  24th  we  find  a  town  meeting 
"held  in  Westmoreland,  Wilkesbarre  District,"  at 
which  "Colonel  Z.  Butler  was  chosen  moderator," 
when  it  was  voted  "  that  it  now  becomes  necessary 
for  the  inhabitants  of  this  town  to  erect  suitable  forts 
as  a  defense  against  our  common  enemy."  Forty  Fort 
was  ordered  to  be  enlarged  and  strengthened.  The 
people,  old  and  young,  made  large  contributions  in  la 
bor  to  these  necessary  provisions  for  the  common  de 
fense. 

By  order  of  Congress,  "two  companies  on  the  Con-? 
tinental  establishment"  were  raised  "in  the  town  of 
Westmoreland,"  to  be  "  stationed  in  proper  places  for 

G2 


154:  WYOMING. 

the  defense  of  the  inhabitants  of  said  town  and  parts 
adjacent."  Eobert  Durkee  and  Samuel  Eansom  were 
elected  captains  of  these  two  companies.  These  com 
panies  consisted  of  something  more  than  eighty  men 
each,  and  they  were  made  up  of  the  strong  young  men 
of  the  settlement.  At  the  critical  period  when  our 
army  had  retreated  across  the  Delaware,  these  compa 
nies  were  "  ordered  to  join  General  Washington  with 
all  possible  expedition."  This  order  left  "Wyoming  in 
a  most  defenseless  condition.  Nothing  but  the  stern 
necessities  T>f  the  Kevolutionary  cause  could  be  offered 
as  the  slightest  palliation  of  the  cruelty  and  injustice 
of  this  measure.  These  companies  were  raised  ex 
pressly  for  "the  defense  of  the  inhabitants"  of  West 
moreland  "and  parts  adjacent,"  but  they  were  now 
called  to  leave  their  mothers,  wives,  and  sisters  ex 
posed  to  the  incursions  of  the  merciless  savages,  with 
out  any  thing  like  adequate  means  of  defense. 

The  Indians  were  evidently  making  preparations  to 
identify  themselves  with  the  English  cause.  They  all 
withdrew  from  Wyoming  and  went  north.  There 
were  rumors  of  their  intentions  to  cut  off  the  settle 
ment,  which  filled  the  minds  of  many  with  alarm.  In 
the  fall  of  1777,  Queen  Esther  came  up  the  river  with 
about  a  dozen  Indians.  She  encamped  at  the  mouth 
of  Shoemaker's  Creek,  but  a  short  distance  from  Mr. 
Bennet's  residence.  Mrs.  Bennet,  accompanied  by 
Martha,  visited  the  queen's  camp  and  had  considera 
ble  conversation  with  her.  She  asked  her  if  it  was 
true  that  the  Indians  were  coming  to  kill  us  all.  She 
shook  her  head  and  shed  tears.  Her  head  was  gray, 
and  she  seemed  to  be  old.  She  remained  there  about 
a  fortnight. 

Mrs.  Myers  says,  u  Not  long  after  Queen  Esther  left 


MRS.  MYERS.  155 

the  Yalley  we  heard  rumors  of  violence  committed  at 
the  north  by  parties  of  Indians  which  strolled  over  the 
country.  These  reports  created  great  alarm  among 
the  people  of  Wyoming.  In  June,  1778,  about  two 
weeks  before  the  battle,  we  had  seven  head  of  horses 
stray  away.  The  boys  going  in  pursuit  of  them  ask 
ed  me  to  go  with  them  and  pick  cherries.  We  had 
not  gone  far  into  the  woods  before  the  boys  saw  some 
young  hickories  broken  and  twisted  in  a  peculiar  man 
ner.  One  of  them  exclaimed,  '  Oh,  the  Indians !  The 
Indians  have  taken  away  the  horses.'  This  turned  out 
to  be  the  fact.  Upon  our  return  we  learned  that  the 
Indians  had  been  at  Peter  Harris's,  above  Scofield's. 
Soon  after  the  two  Hardings  were  killed,  and  now  we, 
with  the  settlers  generally,  moved  into  the  fort.  It 
was  crowded  full." 

Colonel  John  Butler,  a  Tory  leader,  with  an  army 
of  eight  hundred,  consisting  of  Indians,  Tories,  and 
British  regulars,  came  down  the  river  in  boats  and  on 
rafts,  and  landed  just  above  the  head  of  the  Valley, 
near  Button's  Mills.  Colonel  Denison,  with  a  company 
of  men,  went  up  to  reconnoitre,  and  found  they  had 
left  the  river  and  taken  the  mountain  path.  By  this 
means  he  would  avoid  the  danger  of  meeting  the  pat 
riots  in  the  Narrows,  where  his  superior  force  would 
give  him  no  advantage.  The  hostile  army  came  into 
the  Yalley  through  a  notch  in  the  mountain  opposite 
to  Fort  Wintermoot,  a  small  fort  which  bore  the  name 
of  a  family  of  Tories,  and  was  surrendered  at  once.  A 
scouting  party  from  Forty  Fort  was  sent  up  to  learn 
Butler's  position  and  strength,  and  Finch  was  killed 
and  Hewitt  shot  through  the  hand.  This  took  place 
near  where  Shoemaker's  Mills  now  stand,  between 
the  village  of  Wyoming  and  Carpenter's  Notch.  The 


156  WYOMING. 

next  clay  a  company  went  up  and  brought  in  Finch's 
body.  After  the  battle  the  Indians  referred  to  the 
circumstances,  and  said  they  could  have  killed  the 
whole  of  both  parties  if  they  had  chosen  to  do  so.  It 
is  likely,  however,  this  was  a  mere  brag,  and  that  real 
ly  fear  had  something  to  do  in  the  matter. 

THE  BATTLE   OF. JULY  3,  1778. 

The  settlers  had  made  strong  representations  of 
their  perilous  condition  to  General  Washington,  and 
prayed  that  at  least  the  companies  raised  in  the  settle 
ment  might  be  sent  to  their  aid,  but  all  was  in  vain. 
They  now  had  no  hope  but  in  their  own  small  re 
sources  and  the  protection  of  Providence.  The  old 
men  and  boys  which  were  left  armed  themselves  as 
well  as  they  could,  and  resolved  to  make  a  brave  de 
fense  against  the  savage  Indians  and  the  still  more 
savage  Tories.  The  little  army  numbered  about  three 
hundred  men,  and  was  organized  in  six  companies. 
There  were  grandfathers  and  grandsons  in  this  army, 
some  of  them  entirely  untrained,  and  most  of  them  un 
accustomed  to  military  discipline,  and  to  the  arrange 
ments  and  evolutions  of  an  army.  Mr.  Miner  says, 
"  There  were  about  two  hundred  and  thirty  enrolled 
men,  and  seventy  old  people,  boys,  civil  magistrates, 
and  other  volunteers." 

Colonel  Zebulon  Butler  had  obtained  leave  of  ab 
sence  from  the  army,  and  came  on  in  advance  of  the 
Wyoming  companies,  which  were  finally  ordered  to 
proceed  to  the  scene  of  danger  and  alarm  under  Cap 
tain  Spaulding.  The  command,  by  universal  consent, 
was  accorded  to  Colonel  Butler.  On  the  3d  of  July, 
an  Indian  on  horseback  was  seen  at  the  mouth  of  Shoe 
maker's  Creek,  within  sight  of  the  fort.  Upon  finding 


MRS.  MYERS.  157 

that  he  was  noticed  he  galloped  off.  Colonel  John 
Butler  now  sent  orders  to  the  people  in  the  fort  to  sur 
render,  which  was  promptly  refused. 

The  question  was  now  mooted  whether  they  should 
go  out  and  fight  the  enemy  on  the  plains  above,  or 
keep  within  the  fort  until  re-enforcements  should  ar 
rive.  Captain  Spaulding  was  coming  on  with  an  effi 
cient,  well-trained  company,  and  Captain  Franklin  was 
on  his  way  from  Huntington  with  a  company  of  volun 
teers,  and  it  was  the  .opinion  of  Colonels  Butler  and 
Denison  that  it  was  best  to  delay  until  the  recruits 
should  arrive.  Captains  Lazarus  Stuart  and  William 
M'Karrican  headed  the  party  which  were  for  march 
ing  out  of  the  fort  at  once  and  meeting  the  foe.  A 
warm  debate  upon  the  question  followed,  which  closed 
with  high  words.  The  belligerent  captains,  perceiv 
ing  that  the  majority  was  on  their  side,  intimated  that 
it  was  cowardice  which  influenced  the  views  of  the 
colonels,  and  that,  if  they  should  decline  the  command, 
they — the  captains — would  lead  on  the  brave  men  who 
would  volunteer  to  go  out  and  flog  Butler  and  his  In 
dians.  These  insulting  insinuations  roused  the  spirit 
of  Colonels  Butler  and  Denison,  and  they  resolved  to 
hazard  all  upon  the  chances  of  a  battle.  Colonel  But 
ler  said,  "  We  go  into  imminent  danger ;  but,  my  boys, 
I  can  go  as  far  as  any  of  you."  Those  who  were  fierce 
for  fight  seemed  to  be  under  the  impression  that  the 
enemy  was  about  to  retreat,  or  that  they  would  run  as 
soon  as  they  saw  danger.  They  were  anxious  to  meet 
and  punish  the  Indians  while  they  were  within  reach, 
and  to  chase  them  out  of  the  country.  This,  as  they 
might  have  known,  and  as  the  event  proved,  was  all 
erroneous.  In  this  case,  as  in  many  others,  hot-head 
ed  and  reckless  men  prevailed  against  sober  counsels. 


158  WYOMING. 

The  little  army  formed,  and  set  out  in  the  line  of 
march  in  high  spirits,  with  drums  and  fifes  playing, 
and  colors  flying.  Mr.  Bennet  was  one  of  the  "  old 
men"  who  volunteered  to  defend  the  country.  He, 
however,  was  so  certain  that  the  little  army  were  about 
to  be  drawn  into  a  snare  and  cut  off,  that  he  declared 
he  would  go  with  them  no  farther  than  "Tuttle's 
Creek" — the  distance  of  one  mile,  or  a  little  more — and 
he  carried  out  his  purpose.  He  left  them  at  the  creek, 
but  his  son  Solomon  went  on.  Soon  after  the  little 
patriot  army  had  left  the  fort,  Major  Durkee,  Captain 
Ransom,  and  Lieutenant  Pierce  came  up  upon  a  gal 
lop.  They  had  left  Captain  Spaulding  at  Merwine's, 
about  thirty  miles  from  "Wyoming,  and  hastened  to 
the  point  of  danger.  Dashing  into  Mrs.  Bennet's  cabin, 
one  sang  out,  "Can  you  give  us  a  mouthful  to  eat?" 
They  were  furnished  with  a  cold  cut.  Swallowing  a 
few  mouthfuls,  they  took  a  piece  in  their  hand  and 
pushed  on.  They  left  the  fort  never  to  look  upon  it 
again ;  they  were  all  slain  in  the  battle. 

"Whence  is  this  rage?     What  spirit,  say, 
To  battle  hurries  me  away  ? 
'Tis  Fancy,  in  her  fiery  car, 
Transports  me  to  the  thickest  war, 
Where  giant  Terror  stalks  around, 
With  sullen  joy  surveys  the  ground. 
And,  pointing  to  the  ensanguined  field, 
Shakes  his  dreadful  Gorgon  shield." 

WHAKTON. 

When  they  came  to  Swetland's  Hill,  about  one  mile 
farther,  it  was  reported  that  the  invaders  were  flying, 
and  they  resolved  to  pursue  them.  They  saw  several 
straggling  Indians,  who,  being  fired  upon,  ran  off  as  if 
terribly  frightened.  The  enemy  was  lying  in  ambush, 
in  three  companies,  disposed  in  the  form  of  a  crescent, 


MRS.  MYERS.  159 

extending  from  Fort  Wintermoot  in  a  westerly  direc 
tion  into  the  marsh  which  lies  along  at  the  foot  of 
the  mountain.  Their  advance  line  fell  back  upon  the 
main  body  without  much  resistance.  Their  plan  was 
well  laid,  and  they  had  now  succeeded  in  leading  the 
little  band  into  the  trap  which  they  had  set  for  them. 
When  the  moment  arrived  to  strike,  the  whole  body 
of  Indians  and  Tories  opened  a  galling  fire  upon  the 
patriot  ranks,  and  cut  down  a  large  number.  The 
noise  of  the  musketry  and  the  whistling  of  the  bullets 
were  terrible,  but  the  wild  yells  of  the  savages  were 
still  more  so.  The  men  stood  the  first  shock  bravely, 
returning  the  fire  with  great  spirit,  but  without  much 
effect  on  the  left  wing,  the  enemy  being  covered  by 
the  steep  slope  which  borders  the  marsh  and  a  thick 
undergrowth.  Colonel  Denison,  discovering  that  he 
was  about  to  be  outflanked  and  surrounded,  ordered 
his  wing  to  "  fall  back."  This  order  was  mistaken  for 
an  order  to  retreat,  and  confusion  and  a  panic  followed, 
which  all  the  efforts  of  the  officers  failed  to  arrest. 
Every  captain  fell  either  at  the  head  of  his  men,  or 
deserted  and  alone.  Colonels  Butler  and  Denison  rode 
along  the  line,  and  endeavored  to  rally  their  men  un 
til  they  were  left  nearly  alone,  and  exposed  to  most 
imminent  danger.  But  the  day  was  lost,  and  every 
man  made  shift  for  himself  as  best  he  might.  Some 
ran  down  the  plains,  some  took  to  the  mountain,  but 
most  fled  in  the  direction  of  the  river.  Many  were 
struck  down  with  the  tomahawk;  and  others  were 
taken  prisoners,  and  suffered  a  still  more  terrible  fate. 
When  Thomas  Bennet  returned  to  the  fort,  he  paced 
the  bank  of  the  river  back  and  forth  in  the  greatest 
excitement.  When  the  firing  began,  he  listened  until 
he  noticed  the  reports  scattering  down  the  plain.  He 


160  WYOMING. 

then  hastened  to  his  cabin,  exclaiming,  "  Our  boys  are 
beat ;  they  will  all  be  cut  to  pieces !"  He  was  a  man 
of  strong  nerves,  but  no  stoic ;  he  walked  back  and 
forth,  and  seemed  all  but  distracted. 

Colonels  Butler  and  Denison,  being  mounted,  came 
in  first.  A  few  of  the  fugitives  came  in  in  the  course 
of  the  evening,  but  no  news  came  to  the  Bennet  fami 
ly  with  regard  to  Solomon  until  the  next  day  at  about 
two  o'clock,  when  he  made  his  appearance,  and  gave  an 
account  of  his  escape.  He  was  at  the  extreme  right,  in 
Captain  Bidlack's  company.  When  they  came  up  to 
Fort  Wintermoot  it  was  in  flames,  and  the  hostile  army 
lay  just  above.  When  the  firing  commenced  he  had 
twenty -two  balls  in  his  pouch,  and  he  shot  them  all 
away  but  one.  They  drove  the  enemy  about  eighty 
rods,  the  dead,  British  regulars  and  Indians,  lying 
strewed  quite  thick  upon  the  ground.  He  used  his 
own  rifle,  which  would  prime  itself,  and  required  no 
ramming  down.  He  loaded  quick,  and  took  fair  aim, 
and  his  man  fell.  When  it  was  discovered  that  the 
Indians  had  turned  Colonel  Denison's  left  flank,  and 
that  our  men  were  flying,  it  was  now  evident  that  the 
day  was  lost ;  then  every  man  shifted  for  himself.  Sol 
omon  Bennet  steered  his  course  toward  the  river ;  he 
gained  the  river  bank  against  Monocasy  Island,  but  a 
little  in  advance  of  several  Indians  who  were  in  pur 
suit  of  him.  He  plunged  into  the  river,  and  swam  upon 
his  back ;  the  Indians  fired  upon  him  repeatedly,  but, 
accurately  watching  their  motions,  he  was  always  able 
to  avoid  the  ball  by  dropping  his  head  under  the  wa 
ter  at  the  moment  they  fired.  The  Indians  seemed  to 
enjoy  the  sport,  indulging  in  a  hearty  laugh  whenever 
young  Bennet  arose  after  dodging  the  ball.  He  reach 
ed  the  island,  not  knowing  whether  he  was  safe  there 


MRS.  MYERS.  161 

from  the  merciless  foe.  He  cautiously  crept  across  the 
island,  and  then  swam  to  the  eastern  shore.  He  was 
nearly  exhausted,  and,  crawling  up  the  bank  on  his 
hands  and  knees,  he  saw  a  naked  man  in  the  bushes, 
wrhom  he  recognized  as  Matthias  Hollenback — the  late 
Judge  Hollenback,  of  Wilkesbarre.  Bennet  had  cross 
ed  the  river  in  his  shirt  and  pants,  and  now  he  divided 
his  scanty  supply  of  clothes  with  his  friend,  loaning 
him  one  of  his  two  garments,  while  he  wore  the  other. 
Thus  furnished,  they  found  their  way  to  the  fort  at 
Wilkesbarre. 

When  it  was  ascertained  that  arrangements  were  in 
progress  for  a  capitulation,  Solomon  Bennet  said,  "I 
will  never  give  myself  up  to  an  Indian."  Mrs.  Bennet 
then  demanded,  "  What  will  you  do,  then  ?"  and  added, 
"  You  must  clear  out  immediately."  Mr.  Bennet  then 
expressed  some  doubts  as  to  his  fate,  when  Mrs.  Bennet 
answered,  "You  must  go  too."  Andrew,  a  lad  about 
eleven  years  old,  began  to  cry  when  the  mother  said, 
with  emphasis,  "  And  you  must  go  too,  for  if  we  are 
killed  you  can  do  us  no  good."  Accordingly,  all  three 
left  for  Stroudsburg.  These  are  the  simple  facts ;  but 
the  bitter  grief  which  attended  these  trying  circum 
stances  has  never  been  written.  There  were  many 
such  sad  partings  on  that  terrible  day,  and  some  much 
more  aggravated.  The  depth  of  sorrow  which  filled 
the  hearts  of  husbands  and  wives,  parents  and  children, 
brothers  and  sisters,  on  that  day  and  the  day  before, 
will  only  be  brought  to  light  by  the  revelations  of  the 
last  Judgment.  The  parting  of  the  Bennet  family  was 
brief,  but  the  separation  was  long. 

Colonel  Butler  left  the  fort  upon  the  day  of  the  bat 
tle,  but  not  until  he  and  Colonel  Denison  had  agreed 
upon  articles  of  capitulation,  which  were  drawn  up  in 


162  WYOMING. 

Mrs.  Bennetts  cabin.  The  ta 
ble  upon  which  those  articles 
were  written  was  preserved 
by  Mrs.  Myers  until  the  day 
of  her  death,  and  is  still  in 
possession  of  the  family.  Mrs. 
Myers  says,  "Dr.  Grustin  went 
up  to  Fort  Wintermoot  with  a  white  flag  three  times 
before  the  articles  were  fully  agreed  upon.  They  stip 
ulated  that  the  fort  should  be  given  up,  but  the  inhab 
itants  were  not  to  be  molested  in  their  persons  or  prop 
erty.  The  day  but  one  after  the  battle,  I  think,  Indian 
Butler,  as  he  was  called,  marched  his  Indians  into  the 
fort  in  regular  order,  and,  after  drilling  them  a  little, 
dismissed  them.  They  ran  about  among  the  inhabit 
ants,  earnestly  looking  to  see  how  they  were  situated, 
but  for  that  day  molested  no  one.  Butler  was  a  large, 
corpulent  man,  with  a  fair  skin.  I  looked  at  him  with 
astonishment,  wondering  how  such  a  fine-looking  man 
could  come  with  the  Indians  to  kill  us. 

"  The  next  day  the  Indians  began  to  plunder  the  peo 
ple.  Colonel  Denison  remained  in  our  cabin,  but  when 
Butler  came  into  the  fort  he  sent  for  him,  and  they  sat 
down  by  the  table  and  entered  into  conversation. 
Colonel  Denison  remonstrated  with  him  upon  the  sub 
ject  of  the  aggressions  of  the  Indians,  urging  that  it 
was  a  breach  of  a  most  solemn  engagement,  such  as 
are  respected  among  all  nations.  Butler  said,  'My 
men  shall  not  molest  the  people.  I  will  put  a  stop  to 
it.'  But  when  he  went  out  of  the  fort  the  Indians  re 
sumed  their  plundering.  Colonel  Denison  again  sent 
for  Butler,  and  again  he  came  into  our  room  and  re 
peated  his  promises  that  it  should  cease.  The  In 
dians  were  quiet  until  the  next  day  about  two  o'clock. 


MKS.  MYEES.  163 

A  large  party  then  came  into  the  fort,  some  of  them 
drunk.  Doctor  Gustin  wrestled  and  talked  French 
with  them.  This  was  designed  to  divert  them,  but 
they  again  resumed  their  plundering.  Toward  night 
Butler  came  in  again,  and  Colonel  Denison  had  an 
other  conversation  with  him,  earnestly  chiding  him  for 
the  breach  of  a  solemn  treaty.  Butler  finally  waved 
his  hand  and  said,  '  To  tell  you  the  truth,  I  can  do 
nothing  with  them.'  Colonel  Denison  chid  him  se 
verely,  but  received  the  same  answer,  *  I  can  do  noth 
ing  with  them.'  The  colonel  then  vehemently  urged 
the  articles  of  capitulation,  and  that  they  had  not  sup 
posed  it  possible  for  him  to  allow  so  wicked  a  breach 
of  faith  on  the  part  of  his  men.  His  final  answer  was 
as  before,  *  I  tell  you,  sir,  I  can  do  nothing  with  them.' 
He  then  arose  and  left,  and  we  saw  no  more  of  him. 
In  fact,  he  left  us  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the  savages, 
without  any  regard  to  the  articles  which  he  had  signed 
with  his  own  hand. 

"The  Indians  were  now  worse  than  ever.  They 
came  into  our  house,  and  a  stout  Indian  claimed  Colo 
nel  Denison's  hunting-shirt,  a  very  nice  one,  made  of 
fine  forty  linen,  with  a  double  cape,  fringed  around  the 
cape  and  wrists.  The  colonel  objected ;  but,  upon  the 
Indian  raising  his  tomahawk,  and  mother  begging  him 
to  give  it  up,  he  consented.  While  she  was  unbutton 
ing  the  wristbands  the  colonel  stepped  back,  and  Polly 
Thornton,  who  sat  by  me,  received  a  package  of  money 
from  his  pocket.  It  was  the  town  money,  in  Conti 
nental  bills ;  it  afterward  did  the  needy  much  good. 
The  Indian,  observing  that  something  passed  back  to 
us,  sang  out,  'What's  that?'  'You  are  taking  the 
man's  shirt,'  replied  mother.  The  hunting-shirt  ob 
tained,  the  Indian  retired.  Soon  after  another  came 


164  WYOMING. 

in  and  demanded  the  colonel's  new  beaver  liat.  As 
in  the  former  case,  he  objected;  but,  as  in  that  instance, 
the  lifted  tomahawk  and  mother's  entreaties  brought 

C 

him  to  terms. 

"  Our  great  chest,  now  in  my  possession,  contained 
our  valuable  clothing.  It  was  now  robbed  of  all  its 
contents.  An  Indian  took  mother's  bonnet  from  her 
head  and  her  shawl  from  her  shoulders.  She  then 
covered  her  head  with  an  old  straw  hat  which  was 
lying  upon  the  ground.  Captain  Henry,  an  old  In 
dian  who  had  lived  upon  terms  of  intimacy  with  our 
family,  and  who  was  a  prisoner  in  the  fort  when  it 
was  given  up,  came  in  with  father's  fine  broadcloth 
coat  on,  which  had  been  taken  from  the  chest.  He 
demanded,  'Where  old  Bennet?'  Mother  replied, 
'Gone  through  the  swamp  to  Stroudsburg.'  'Ah!' 
says  he,  stroking  his  sleeve,  'me  old  Bennet  now. 
Where  Solomon,  that  good  marksman?'  'Gone  to 
Stroudsburg.'  '  Where  Andrew,  the  little  boy  ?'  The 
same  answer  was  given  as  before." 

One  circumstance  Mrs.  Myers — probably  from  mo 
tives  of  delicacy — does  not  relate,  which  has  been  com 
municated  by  another  eye-witness.  From  the  history 
thus  far,  it  will  be  seen  that  Mrs.  Bennet  was  a  woman 
of  great  spirit,  and  an  unusual  amount  of  physical 
strength  even  for  those  times.  She  could  stand  being 
robbed  by  an  Indian  with  a  tomahawk  in  his  hand, 
but  she  could  not  endure  to  have  her  clothing  pulled 
from  her  person  by  an  Indian  ivoman.  A  filthy  squaw 
undertook  forcibly  to  deprive  her  of  one  of  her  gar 
ments,  when  the  spirit  of  the  Yankee  woman,  even  by 
all  the  fearful  circumstances  by  which  she  was  sur 
rounded,  could  not  be  held  down.  She  drew  her 
clenched  hand,  and  gave  the  old  hag  a  blow  in  the 


MRS.  MYERS.  165 

face  which  felled  her  to  the  ground.  The  squaw,  re 
covering,  grappled  the  pale-faced  woman,  but  was  soon 
worsted  in  the  struggle.  It  was  an  anxious  moment 
with  the  friends  of  Mrs.  Bennet  who  were  present. 
"Would  she  be  tomahawked  on  the  spot  ?  was  the  ques 
tion  revolved  in  every  mind.  That  question  was  soon 
settled  by  a  roar  of  laughter  from  the  Indians,  one  of 
them  patting  her  on  the  back  with  the  complimenta 
ry  words,  "  Good  squaw."  The  vanquished  old  thief 
then  sneaked  off,  woefully-  crestfallen.  The  mascu 
line  nerve  of  the  women  of  those  times  seems  to  have 
been  given  them  for  the  occasion,  or  which,  perhaps, 
is  a  more  truthful  theory,  were  developed  by  the 
times.  Circumstances  originate  characters.  By  a  law 
of  Providence,  human  nature  adjusts  itself  to  the  cir 
cumstances  by  which  it  is  surrounded.  But  let  us  pro 
ceed  a  little  farther  with  Mrs.  Myers's  story  in  her  own 
language. 

"  They  took  our  feather  beds,  and,  ripping  open  the 
ticks,  flung  out  the  feathers,  and  crammed  in  their 
plunder,  consisting  mostly  of  fine  clothing,  and,  throw 
ing  them  over  their  horses,  went  off.  A  squaw  came 
riding  up  with  ribbons  stringing  from  her  head  over 
her  horse's  tail.  Some  of  the  squaws  would  have  on 
two  or  three  bonnets,  generally  back  side  before.  One 
rode  off  astride  of  mother's  side-saddle,  that,  too,  wrong 
end  foremost,  and  mother's  scarlet  cloak  hanging  be 
fore  her,  being  tied  at  the  back  of  her  neck.  We  could 
not  help  laughing  at  the  ridiculous  figure  she  cut,  in 
spite  of  the  deep  trouble  which  then  all  but  over 
whelmed  us  all. 

"  Few  of  the  Tories  came  into  the  fort  ;  but  a 
young  man  by  the  name  of  Parshal  Terry,  who  was 
in  the  battle  under  Butler,  came  in  painted,  and  called 


166  WYOMING. 

to  see  his  friends  at  their  cabin.  His  brother  had 
been  in  the  battle  on  our  side.  He  was  shy,  but  was 
recognized. 

"  Indians  came  in  who  appeared  to  be  friendly ;  they 
painted  us,  and  tied  white  bands  around  our  heads,  as 
they  said,  that  we  might  be  known  as  prisoners  of  war, 
and  not  be  in  danger  of  being  killed  by  strange  In 
dians." 

Something  more  than  a  week  after  the  battle  the 
houses  throughout  the  settlement  were  fired.  The 
smoke  arose  from  all  quarters  at  the  same  time.  Soon 
after  this,  the  widows  of  Timothy  Pierce  and  John 
Murphy — their  maiden  name  was  Gore — with  Ellis 
and  Hannah  Pierce — maiden  ladies — requested  Mrs. 
Bennet  to  visit  the  battle-ground  with  them,  to  see  if 
they  could  identify  the  bodies  of  Pierce  and  Murphy . 
They  found  the  bodies  of  the  slain  broiling  in  the  hot 
sun,  but  so  changed  that  they  could  not  distinguish 
one  from  another.  The  husbands  of  the  two  young 
widows,  and  three  brothers  —  Silas,  Asa,  and  George 
Gore — lay  upon  the  ensanguined  field,  but  the  heart 
broken  visitors  had  not  even  the  poor  satisfaction  of 
identifying  their  remains.  The  company  returned  to 
the  fort  sick  at  heart,  to  have  their  imaginations  haunt 
ed  for  long  years  with  the  awful  spectacle  which  they 
had  witnessed,  of  the  mangled  and  wasting  bodies  of 
their  neighbors,  brothers,  and  husbands. 

General  Washington  had  projected  an  expedition 
into  the  Indian  country  effectually  to  chastise  the  sav 
ages,  and  to  make  an  end  of  their  incursions  upon  the 
frontier  settlements.  The  people  in  the  fort,  not  fully 
appreciating  the  time  which  would  be  necessary  to  pre 
pare  for  such  an  expedition,  entertained  hopes  of  the 
arrival  of  the  army  of  relief  daily,  and  so  remained 


MRS.  MYEKS.  167 

there  about  two  weeks.  At  the  expiration  of  this  pe 
riod,  Colonel  Denison  was  making  arrangements  to  go 
down  the  river  in  a  canoe  to  bring  up  his  family. 
Martha  Bennet  had  lost  all  her  best  clothes,  and  found 
that  it  was  necessary  for  her  soon  to  make  a  move  of 
some  sort  to  replenish  her  exhausted  wardrobe.  She 
finally  ventured  to  sob  out,  "If  I  could  leave  mother 
and  sister,  I  would  go  with  Colonel  Denison  down  to 
Sunbury,  to  Captain  Martin's,  and  work,  and  get  me 
some  clothes."  Esquire  Pierce,  coming  up,  inquired 
into  the  cause  of  Martha's  grief.  Upon  learning  the 
facts,  he  addressed  her  in  his  quaint  style :  "  Go  along, 
gal,  go  along,  and  I'll  take  care  of  mother  and  child." 
She  accordingly  took  passage  in  Colonel  Denison's  ca 
noe,  and  arrived  at  Sunbury  the  next  day.  She  found 
a  company  of  between  thirty  and  forty  persons  from 
the  Valley  quartered  in  a  house.  One  of  the  company 
was  Desdemona  Marshall,  the  late  Mrs.  Wadsworth, 
of  Huntington.  Miss  Bennet  was  received  with  great 
cordiality,  and  invited  to  remain  with  them,  and  be 
one  of  the  household. 

This  family  of  fugitives,  united  by  common  suffer 
ings  and  common  dangers,  was  not  to  remain  long  to 
gether.  There  was  a  rumor  of  hostile  Indians  on  the 
west  branch  of  the  Susquehanna,  and  a  woman  and  a 
boy  were  tomahawked  and  scalped  in  the  immediate 
neighborhood.  Miss  Bennet  and  others  went  to  see 
them  while  they  were  yet  alive.  It  was  soon  rumored 
that  the  Indians  and  Tories  had  again  visited  Wyo 
ming,  and  all  the  settlers  had  left.  A  company  com 
menced  making  preparations  to  go  across  the  mount 
ains  to  Stroudsburg,  and  Miss  Bennet  accepted  an  in 
vitation  to  go  with  them.  All  the  means  of  convey 
ance  they  had  was  a  small  cart  drawn  by  a  yoke  of 


168  WYOMING. 

steers.  There  were  some  small  children  in  the  com 
pany,  who  were  allowed  to  ride  when  they  were  tired, 
but  as  for  the  rest  they  all  walked.  Their  journey 
was  of  the  distance  of  about  seventy-five  miles,  and 
nearly  all  the  way  through  the  wilderness,  and  cross 
ing  the  high  ridges  which  lie  between  the  Susque- 
hanna  and  the  Delaware.  The  Misses  Bennet  and 
Marshall,  with  three  other  girls,  outstripped  the  com 
pany,  and  saw  nothing  of  them  during  the  day.  They 
became  hungry,  and  turned  aside  and  picked  berries 
to  satisfy  the  demands  of  nature.  The  path  was  ex 
ceedingly  rough,  and  Miss  Bennet's  shoes  gave  out 
in  consequence  of  the  constant  contact  with  stubs  and 
sharp  stones,  and  her  feet  were  so  injured  as  to  leave 
blood  behind  them.  "  But,"  says  shS,  "  we  made  our 
selves  as  happy  as  possible,  amusing  ourselves  with 
singing  songs  and  telling  stories."  They  were  con 
stantly  annoyed  with  fears  of  "  the  Indians,"  knowing 
that  those  dreadful  scourges  of  the  country  might 
chance  to  cross  their  path  at  any  moment.  As  the 
darkness  of  night  began  to  approach,  they  met  two 
men  whom  they  first  supposed  to  be  Indians ;  but,  per 
ceiving  them  to  be  white  men,  they  sung  out,  "How 
far  is  it  to  a  house?"  The  answer  was  as  cheering  as 
it  was  cordial.  "  Two  miles;  be  of  good  courage ;  we 
are  hunting  for  some  cows,  and  will  soon  be  in."  The 
young  pedestrians  soon  arrived,  and  found  the  house 
guarded  by  several  men.  The  family  had  gone,  and 
most  of  the  goods  were  removed.  They  made  a  sup 
per  of  bread  and  milk,  and  lay  down  upon  sacking 
bottoms  from  which  the  beds  had  been  removed. 
They  waited  for  the  arrival  of  the  company  with  great 
anxiety  until  about  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  when, 
to  their  great  joy,  they  arrived  in  safety. 


MRS.  MYERS.  169 

The  morning's  light  came,  and  our  travelers  were 
early  on  their  way.  They  passed  through  Easton, 
where  they  bought  provisions.  That  day  u  the  girls" 
kept  within  sight  of  their  companions  in  travel.  The 
third  day,  at  night,  they  arrived  at  Stroudsburg.  Miss 
Bennet  there  met  her  mother  and  sister,  but  was  great 
ly  disappointed  in  not  rinding  her  father  and  brothers. 
Her  brother  Solomon  had  been  to  Middletown  in  pur 
suit  of  her,  had  returned  that  day,  and  set  out  imme 
diately,  with  Colonel  Butler  and  Captain  Spaulding, 
for  Wyoming.  Mrs.  Myers  says,  in  relation  to  the 
events  of  that  day,  u  One  disappointment  followed  an 
other  in  quick  succession,  and  I  seemed  almost  left 
without  hope." 

"Come,  Disappointment,  come ! 

Though  from  Hope's  summit  hurled, 
Still,  rigid  nurse,  thou  art  forgiven, 
For  thou,  severe,  wert  sent  from  heaven 
To  wean  me  from  the  world  ; 
To  turn  my  eye 
From  vanity, 
And  point  to  scenes  of  bliss  that  never,  never  die." 

HENRY  KIRKB  WHITE. 

Soon  after  Martha  Bennet  left  the  fort,  Indians  came 
in,  who  seemed  any  thing  but  friendly  and  trustwor 
thy.  "  More  Indians  come,"  said  they,  "  right  away ; 
eat  Yankees  up."  This  tale  was  told  undoubtedly  to 
intimidate  those  of  the  settlers  who  still  remained,  and 
to  frighten  them  away.  Whatever  was  thought  of  it, 
the  fact  that  parties  of  those  hated,  murderous,  plun 
dering  wretches  kept  prowling  about  was  a  sufficient 
reason  for  the  last  white  person  to  quit  the  Yalley. 
Mrs.  Bennet,  with  her  child,  came  over  the  mountain 
in  company  with  Major  Pierce  and  his  family,  perhaps 
the  last  of  the  settlers  who  were  left.  The  child,  aft- 

II 


170  WYOMING. 

erward  Mrs.  Tuttle,  was  then  five  years  old,  and  she 
always  recollected  that  dreadful  journey.  At  that  ten 
der  age  she  had  to  walk  nearly  the  whole  distance  on 
foot,  having  no  beasts  of  burden  in  the  company.  She 
remembered  camping  out,  or  rather  lying  on  the 
ground,  under  the  open  heavens,  in  what  has  ever 
since  been  called  "  The  Shades  of  Death."  Hungry 
and  weary,  they  laid  themselves  down  upon  the  bare 
ground,  and  invoked  oblivious  sleep.  Mrs.  Bennet 
drew  out  a  portion  of  her  skirt,  and  told  little  Polly  to 
lie  on  it  as  close  to  her  as  possible.  Mrs.  Tuttle  lived 
to  a  great  age,  and  we  learned  these  facts  from  her 
mouth  not  long  before  her  death. 

It  may  be  a  matter  of  wonder  how  so  many  of  the 
settlers  subsisted  in  the  fort  for  more  than  two  weeks, 
after  having  been  robbed  of  every  thing  by  the  In 
dians.  This  mystery  is  explained  by  a  curious  fact. 
There  was  a  capacious  cellar  under  a  building  in  the 
fort  where  a  considerable  quantity  of  provisions  was 
stored.  When  the  Indians  commenced  the  work  of 
plundering,  as  a  company  of  them  approached  this 
place  of  deposit,  some  witty  individual  sang  out,  with 
apparent  concern,  "  Small-pox !  small-pox !"  The  old 
brave  who  was  on  the  lead  grunted  out  "  Oh !"  and 
sheered  off,  the  others  following  him ;  they  jabbered  in 
Indian,  and  looked  back  at  the  reputed  "pock-house" 
with  no  little  consternation.  After  this  the  Indians 
kept  at  a  distance  from  the  place,  invariably  going 
round  it,  and  casting  at  it  one  of  those  significant  In 
dian  glances  so  indicative  of  a  horror  of  being  caught 
in  some  trap.  The  "wit"  of  our  brave  fathers  and 
mothers  did  not  always  "come  afterward,"  but  often 
"hit  the  nail  on  the  head,"  and  stood  them  in  stead 
when  all  other  resources  were  utterlv  exhausted.  This 


MRS.  MYERS.  171 

happy  hit  probably  saved  the  lives  of  many  of  the 
settlers ;  for  "  humane"  as  the  Tory  leaders  boasted  of 
being,  and  "magnanimous"  as  some  authorities  con 
tend  that  the  "  Eed  Man"  is,  not  a  hoof,  nor  a  kernel, 
nor  a  morsel  of  bread  or  meat  which  the  cruel  invad 
ers  could  either  seize  and  carry  away,  or  consume  by 
fire,  was  left  to  the  people  to  keep  them  from  perish 
ing  with  hunger. 

Soon  after  the  arrival  of  Major  Pierce's  company  of 
fugitives,  Mrs.  Bennet  heard  a  young  Philadelphia  law 
yer  uttering  terrible  threats  against  the  Yankees,  de 
claring  that  he  would  go  to  "Wyoming  with  a  company, 
and  a  Yankee  should  not  set  foot  upon  the  ground. 
She  immediately  made  it  her  business  to  communicate 
the  matter  to  Colonel  Butler.  The  very  next  day  Col 
onel  Butler  and  Captain  Spaulding  mustered  their  men 
and  set  off  for  Wyoming,  preferring  the  hazard  of 
meeting  the  Indians  to  that  of  allowing  the  Pennamites 
to  take  possession  of  the  country. 

The  company  saw  no  Indians,  but  every  where  met 
the  sad  traces  of  their  ravages.  The  houses  of  the  set 
tlement  were  nearly  all  reduced  to  ashes,  the  crops 
were  destroyed,  and  the  horses,  cattle,  etc.,  were  either 
killed  or  driven  off.  The  beautiful  and  fruitful  vale, 
which  in  the  spring  presented  so  charming  a  prospect 
of  a  rich  harvest,  was  now  the  very  picture  of  deso 
lation.  Colonel  Butler  and  his  company  repaired  to 
the  battle-field,  and  gathered  up  the  remains  of  those 
who  were  slain  on  the  fatal  3d  of  July,  and  buried 
them  in  a  common  grave,  where  the  monument  now 
stands. 

Mrs.  Bennet  and  her  daughters  did  not  remain  long 
at  Stroudsburg,  but  went  to  Goshen,  where  they  took 
up  quarters  with  a  Captain  John  Bull,  "  an  old  gray- 


172  WYOMING. 

headed  man  with  a  large  family."  Mrs.  Bennet  "  did 
two  days'  work  in  one"  at  the  spinning-wheel,  while 
Martha  "did  housework  for  fifty  cents  a  week." 
They  made  shirts  and  pants,  and  sent  them  to  "Wyo 
ming  to  Mr,  Bennet  and  the  boys,  who  remained  there, 
and  worked  their  land  and  enlarged  their  clearing. 
The  Revolutionary  war  was  now  in  full  blast ;  there 
were  no  manufactories  in  the  country,  and  foreign 
goods  were  extremely  scarce  and  dear.  Mrs.  Myers 
says  that  at  this  period  they  gave  "  fifty  cents  a  yard 
for  calico." 

Early  in  the  spring  Mrs.  Bennet  went  to  "  Bethle 
hem,  ten  miles  below  Litchfield,"  to  her  brother  Sam 
uel  Jackson's.  Captain  Bull  sent  his  son  with  a  horse 
part  of  the  way,  and  they  "  rode  by  turns."  They  re 
mained  among  their  friends  "  in  Litchfield,  Nobletown, 
and  Canaan  until  the  next  spring."  They  frequently 
received  intelligence  from  "Wyoming,  and  finally  be 
gan  to  meditate  returning.  In  the  fall  Solomon  Ben- 
net  came  on  with  a  horse  to  bring  his  mother  and  two 
sisters  back  to  their  loved  and  much-desired  Wyoming 
home.  Mrs.  Bennet  and  her  youngest  daughter  rode 
upon  the  horse,  attended  by  Solomon,  while  Martha 
took  passage  in  a  sloop  from  Canaan  to  Newburg. 
They  met  at  the  latter  place,  and,  passing  Washing 
ton's  camp,  went  on  to  Goshen.  Here  they  purchased 
a  yoke  of  oxen  and  a  cart,  and,  loading  upon  this 
homely  vehicle  the  fruits  of  Mrs.  Bennet's  and  Mar 
tha's  earnings,  they  commenced  their  slow  march. 
They  came  by  Stroudsburg,  and  thence  through  the 
road  made  by  Sullivan's  army ;  and,  finally,  Mr.  Ben- 
net's  family,  after  more  than  two  years'  separation, 
were  together  again. 

Mr.  Bennet  had  fitted  up  "  one  of  Sullivan's  old  bar- 


MRS.  MYEKS.  173 

racks,  just  opposite  to  Wilkesbarre,  for  a  house." 
They  had  an  abundance  of  corn  and  garden  vegeta 
bles,  but  no  flou^  as  there  was  no  grist-mill  in  the  Val 
ley.  The  only  resort  of  the  settlers,  for  the  time,  was 
to  a  hominy  block.  This  was  a  block  cut  from  the 
trunk  of  a  large  tree,  hollowed,  and  set  on  end.  The 
corn  was  put  in  the  hollow,  and  bruised  with  a  pestle 
hung  upon  a  spring  pole.  Such  was  the  demand  for 
hominy  that  this  rude  mill  was  kept  going  day  and 
night.  The  girls  often  worked  the  mill,  and  not  un- 
frequently  were  obliged  to  wait  long  for  their  turn. 
There  were  now  about  thirty  families  in  the  settle 
ment. 

Greneral  Sullivan  had  left  several  companies  in  the 
garrison  at  Wilkesbarre,  under  the  command  of  Colo 
nel  Moore.  Among  the  officers  were  Captain  Schott 
and  Lieutenant  Lawrence  Myers,  who  married  and 
settled  in  the  country.  The  former  married  Naomi 
Sill,  and  the  latter  Sarah  Gore,  A  store  for  the  sup 
ply  of  the  garrison  was  provided,  and  was  under  the 
directions  of  the  commissary,  William  Stuart.  He  had 
flour,  and,  although  none  could  be  obtained  from  him 
for  the  labor  of  the  men,  yet  Miss  Bennet,  being  skillful 
in  fine  knitting  and  working  lace,  could  procure  it  for 
her  work.  By  knitting  a  pair  of  stockings  and  a  pair 
of  gloves  for  the  commissary,  and  working  a  lace  cap 
and  some  silk  lace  to  trim  a  cloak  for  his  lady,  she 
procured  one  hundred  pounds  of  flour.  All  this  work 
she  did  "  nights  by  pine-light,  after  spinning  two  six- 
teen-knotted  skeins  of  flax."  Besides  all  this,  she  "  did 
much  about  house,  and  often  had  to  work  the  hominy 
block."  Her  "rule  was  to  go  to  bed  at  one  or  two 
o'clock  in  the  morning."  She  says,  "We  were  con 
stantly  afraid  of  the  Indians,  and  the  well-known  cry 


174  WYOMING. 

of  the  sentinels,  'All's  well!'  which  broke  upon  the 
stillness  of  the  night  during  my  nightly  toils,  was  to 
me  a  most  welcome  and  pleasant  sound."  She  notices 
a  little  incident,  small  in  itself,  but  significant  and  fruit 
ful  in  its  results.  She  says,  "  A  company  of  us  girls 
would  often  go  out  and  gather  five-finger-leaf  for  tea, 
and  while  on  these  little  excursions  we  were  guarded 
by  the  soldiers."  Ah !  indeed !  "  Guarded !"  yes,  and 
loved  and  wooed  "by  the  soldiers,"  as  the  facts  after 
ward  proved. 

Tea  was  proscribed  because  it  was  taxed  by  the  Brit 
ish  government,  and  could  not  easily  be  obtained,  and 
when  it  could  be  had  it  was  drunk  stealthily.  The 
people  generally  sought  the  best  substitute  which  the 
soil  afforded,  and  this,  at  best,  was  poor  enough.  Con 
gress  was  obliged,  for  purposes  of  revenue,  to  lay  a  tax 
on  many  of  the  conveniences  of  life.  Those  who  en 
joyed  the  luxury  of  glass  lights  in  their  houses  had  to 
pay  a  tax  on  every  pane.  Mrs.  Myers  says  that  Lieu 
tenant  Van  Horn,  a  Pennamite,  for  whom  she  certainly 
had  no  great  respect,  came  around  taking  account  of 
the  windows  which  were  in  the  hastily -built  cabins  of 
the  settlers.  Addressing  her,  he  demanded,  "How 
many  lights  have  you  in  your  house?"  "-Oh,  plenty 
of  lights,"  was  the  answer.  "Look  all  around,  and 
you  will  see  for  yourself,"  at  the  same  time  pointing 
to  the  chinks  between  the  logs.  The  functionary  be 
coming  satisfied,  from  the  evidence  afforded  by  his 
own  eyes,  that  there  was  not  a  pane  of  glass  in  the  old 
barrack,  soon  took  his  leave. 

Miss  Martha,  at  this  period,  was  one  of  the  most  ef 
ficient  agents  in  supplying  the  necessaries  of  life  to 
the  family.  We  have  seen  that  she  procured  flour 
for  her  work  where  it  could  not  be  obtained  by  the 


MRS.  MYERS.  175 

settlers  "for  either  love  or  money."  She  procured 
meat  in  the  same  way.  She  knit  a  lace  cap  for  an  old 
Mrs.  M 'Glare,  and  procured  of  her  three  pigs,  for  which 
she  had  refused  the  cash.  These  animals  grew,  and 
turned  to  most  excellent  account. 

Things  had  been  so  managed  that  most  of  the  Penn- 
amites  belonged  to  the  garrison ;  and  some  of  the  of 
ficers  being  of  this  class,  the  Yankee  settlers  were  often 
subjected  to  petty  annoyances.  Mr.  Bennet  could 
procure  no  land  to  work  under  cover  of  the  fort,  and 
finally  resolved  to  make  an  attempt  to  work  his  own 
land  above  Forty  Fort.  On  the  27th  of  March,  1780, 
he  commenced  plowing  within  "  the  Ox-bow,"  a  bend 
in  the  creek  on  the  flats,  between  Elijah  Shoemaker's 
and  the  river.  His  team  consisted  of  a  yoke  of  oxen 
and  a  horse.  The  boy  Andrew  rode  upon  the  horse. 
When  they  came  to  the  bend  in  the  creek  the  horse 
seemed  shy.  Mr.  Bennet  said,  "  I  fear  all  is  not  right. 
I  think  we  will  only  go  around  once  more."  "When 
they  came  again  to  the  same  point,  four  Indians  sprung 
from  the  bushes,  and  one  seized  Mr.  Bennet,  and  an 
other  took  Andrew  from  the  horse.  The  Indians  hur 
ried  off  their  prisoners,  and  soon  came  up  with  two 
more  Indians,  having  Lebbeus  Hammond  as  a  prisoner. 
Mr.  Bennet  exclaimed,  "Hammond,  are  you  here?" 
With  downcast  look,  Hammond  answered  "  Yes."  An 
Indian  mired  Hammond's  horse  in  the  marsh  and  left 
him.  They  then  took  the  old  war-path  over  the 
mountain. 

When  Mr.  Bennet  left  home,  he  told  his  wife  that 
if  he  did  not  return  by  sundown  she  might  conclude 
some  harm  had  befallen  him.  Soon  after  sundown 
Mrs.  Bennet  gave  the  information  at  the  fort  that  her 
husband  and  son  had  not  returned,  and  desired  that  a 


176  WYOMING. 

party  might  be  sent  out  in  search  of  them.  Mr.  Ham 
mond's  wife  was  also  alarmed  on  account  of  his  failing 
to  return  as  expected.  Not  knowing  but  that  a  large 
party  of  Indians  had  made  a  descent  upon  the  Valley, 
it  was  thought  not  to  be  prudent  to  go  out  that  night. 
They  fired  the  alarm-gun,  and  waited  till  morning.  A 
company  then  went  out,  and  found  Mr.  Bennet's  oxen 
and  horse  trembling  with  the  cold,  the  weather  having 
changed  during  the  night.  They  followed  on  the  track 
of  the  Indians  to  the  top  of  the  mountain,  and  then  re 
turned. 

Mrs.  Bennet  and  her  remaining  children  were  now 
left  in  a  state  of  most  cruel  suspense  for  the  space  of 
six  or  seven  days.  Any  supposition  which  contained 
the  elements  of  probability  was  terrible  almost  beyond 
endurance.  There  were  a  few  things  possible  between 
the  worst  presumption — and  that  was  that  the  prison 
ers  would  be  cruelly  tortured  to  death — and  the  most 
favorable,  which  was,  that  they  would  be  taken  to 
Canada.  Mr.  Bennet  was  somewhat  in  years,  and  was 
afflicted  with  rheumatism,  and  it  was  most  probable 
that  he  would  break  down  under  the  hardships  of  his 
captivity,  and  fall  a  victim  to  savage  cruelty.  The 
barbarous  tortures  inflicted  by  the  savages  upon  the 
helpless  victims  of  their  fiendish  orgies  were  all  like 
household  words  with  Mrs.  Bennet  and  her  children. 
Their  midnight  dreams  were  occupied  with  the  fearful 
tragedy  of  a  cold-blooded  massacre  by  the  instrument 
ality  of  the  tomahawk,  the  scalping-knife,  and  blazing 
pine  knots.  In  their  imaginations,  the  aged  sire  and 
his  boy  were  often  seen  suffering  the  most  excruciating 
tortures  for  hours,  and  then  their  bodies  left  to  be  de 
voured  by  wild  beasts.  All  this  was  highly  probable, 
and  all  the  reasonings  about  it  based  on  facts,  which 


MRS.  MYERS.  177 

the  settlers  in  the  Valley  of  Wyoming  had  more  per 
fect  knowledge  of  than  any  other  people  upon  earth. 

In  the  midst  of  the  gloom  and  despondency  of  the 
families  of  Mr.  Bennet  and  Mr.  Hammond,  and  the 
general  impression  that  the  prisoners  would  never  re 
turn,  three  emaciated,  limping,  reeling  figures  were 
seen  directing  their  course  toward  the  fort  at  Wilkes- 
barre.  Who  could  they  be  ?  As  they  came  near,  it 
was  discovered  that  they  were  "  the  Bennets  and  Ham 
mond."  Their  appearance  almost  seemed  like  a  resur 
rection  from  the  dead.  The  mystery  was  soon  ex 
plained  ;  they  had  arisen  upon  their  captors  at  Me- 
shoppen,  and  cut  them  to  pieces,  and  had  found  their 
way  back  to  the  embraces  of  their  families  and  friends. 
Their  feet  had  been  badly  frozen,  and  the  consequences 
were  most  painful.  When  the  excitement  of  their 
flight  was  over,  they  scarcely  had  a  spark  of  life  left. 
Good  nursing  soon  restored  their  physical  strength, 
and  Mr.  Hammond  and  Andrew  Bennet  were  able  to 
get  about  in  a  few  weeks ;  but  Mr.  Bennet's  feet  were 
so  dreadfully  injured  by  the  frost  that  several  of  his 
toes  came  off  at  the  first  joint,  and  he  was  obliged  to 
walk  with  crutches  for  more  than  a  year,  during  most 
of  which  time  he  suffered  indescribably,  and  required 
much  attention.  We  shall  give  a  particular  account 
of  the  rising  and  escape  of  the  Bennets  and  Hammond 
in  a  chapter  by  itself. 

Mrs.  Mvers  savs :  "  We  remained  under  cover  of  the 

j  j 

fort  another  year.  Solomon  married  the  widow  Up- 
son :  her  maiden  name  was  Stevens.  Her  husband 
was  killed  by  the  Indians.  Upson,  with  another  man 
and  a  boy,  were  in  the  woods  making  sugar.  When 
the  boy  was  out  gathering  sap,  he  saw  the  Indians 
come  up  slyly  to  the  camp,  and  pour  boiling  sap  into 
H2 


178  WYOMING. 

Upson's  moutli  while  lie  lay  fast  asleep  on  his  back. 
The  other  man  they  tomahawked,  and  made  a  prisoner 
of  the  boy. 

In  the  spring  of  1781,  Mr.  Bennet,  his  son  Solomon, 
and  old  Mr.  Stevens  each  built  a  small  log  house  on 
the  flats  near  where  Mr.Bennet's  house  stood  before 
the  battle.  They  raised  fine  crops,  and  had  abundance 
until  another  calamity  overtook  them. 

THE  ICE  FLOOD. 

"  See  how  the  noble  river's  swelling  tide, 
Augmented  by  the  mountain's  melting  snows, 
Breaks  from  its  banks,  and  o'er  the  region  flows." 

BLACKMAN. 

In  March,  1784,  the  spring  of  "  the  hard  winter,"  a 
heavy  rain  suddenly  melted  the  vast  burden  of  snow 
upon  the  mountains  and  plains,  broke  up  the  strong 
ice  in  the  river,  and  formed  it  into  dams  in  the  nar 
rows  and  at  the  head  of  the  islands.  At  about  two 
o'clock  P.M.,  Colonel  Denison  and  Esquire  Myers  came 
riding  down  the  river  on  horseback.  Seeing  the  three 
families  apparently  unapprised  of  their  danger,  one  of 
them  cried  out,  "Bennet,  what  are  you  about?  The 
ice  will  soon  be  upon  you  in  mountains."  Mrs.  Ben- 
net  had  previously  been  urging  her  husband  to  take 
the  family  to  the  high  bank  across  the  creek.  He, 
however,  relied  securely  upon  the  tradition  communi 
cated  to  him  from  "  the  oldest  Indians,"  that  "  the  wa 
ter  had  never  been  over  these  flats." 

After  the  warning  given  by  Colonel  Denison  and 
Esquire  Myers,  however,  the  old  gentleman  gave  up 
his  policy  of  inaction,  and  "  began  to  stir  about."  The 
big  canoe  was  loaded,  and  went  off,  carrying  the  old 
people  and  the  children.  The  boys  drove  the  cattle 


MES.  MYERS.  179 

to  Swetland's  Hill,  taking  along  the  wagon  and  horses. 
They  barely  escaped,  the  water  rising  so  rapidly  that 
it  came  into  the  wagon-box  just  before  they  reached 
the  hill.  Martha  staid  at  the  house 'and  assisted  in 
loading  the  canoe,  which  Solomon  Bennet  and  Uriah 
Stevens  run  back  and  forth  between  the  house  and  the 
bank.  As  they  were  engaged  packing  up,  the  ice 
above  gave  way  with  a  tremendous  roar.  Martha  cried 
out,  "  Boys,  we  are  gone  I"  She  says,  "In  an  instant 
we  were  in  the  canoe — I  can  not  tell  how — and  were 
lifted  up  among  the  tops  of  the  trees,  and  surrounded 
by  cakes  of  strong  ice.  The  boys  rowed,  and  I  pulled 
by  the  limbs  of  the  trees ;  but,  in  spite  of  all  we  could 
do,  we  were  driven  down  the  stream  rapidly.  It  was 
now  dark,  and  our  people,  with  lighted  torches,  came 
along  the  bank  in  the  greatest  anxiety  of  mind,  fre 
quently  calling  out,  'Where  are  you?'  As  we  were 
swept  along  by  the  terrible  current,  and  unable  to 
make  much  headway  in  consequence  of  the  obstruc 
tions  occasioned  by  the  ice,  we  saw  the  lights  follow 
ing  along  the  bank,  and  occasionally  heard  our  friends 
shout  out, '  Keep  up  good  courage ;  you  will  soon  reach 
the  shore.'  We  struggled  for  life,  and  at  eleven  or 
twelve  o'clock  at  night  we  reached  the  shore.  Uriah 
Stevens  sprung  upon  a  log  which  lay  by  the  shore,  and 
thence  upon  the  ground.  I  followed  him,  but  the  mo 
ment  I  struck  the  log  it  rolled,  and  I  was  plunged  un 
der  the  water.  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  rise  within 
reach  of  the  young  man,  and  he  pulled  me  out.  Sol 
omon,  in  the  canoe,  was  then  driven  out  among  the 
ice,  and  it  was  an  hour  or  more  before  he  reached  the 
shore.  My  clothes  were  frozen  on  me,  and  I  was  bad 
ly  chilled.  I  was  obliged  to  walk  half  a  mile  in  this 
condition  before  I  could  get  to  the  fire." 


180  WYOMING. 

Many  of  the  houses  of  the  settlers  were  carried  en 
tirely  away.  Mr.  Bennet's  house  was  taken  down  the 
stream  some  distance,  and  lodged  against  some  trees 
near  the  creek."  The  other  famines  lost  their  hogs 
and  poultry.  Seven  head  of  young  cattle  which  were 
driven  to  the  hill  were  not  contented  to  remain  there, 
and  were  all  drowned  in  an  attempt  to  return.  Mrs. 
Myers  says,  "  Our  wheat  was  in  the  chamber,  and,  al 
though  some  of  it  was  washed,  we  had  plenty  left. 
Our  corn  and  meat  were  saved.  Our  potatoes  and 
cabbage,  being  buried,  remained  undisturbed ;  so  that, 
although  our  house  was  gone,  we  had  plenty  of  pro 


visions." 


Mr.Bennet  now  hastily  put  up  a  temporary  cabin, 
constructed  of  boards  and  blankets.  Mrs.  Myers  says, 
"  For  seven  weeks  we  lived  all  but  out  of  doors,  doing 
our  cooking  by  a  log  before  our  miserable  cabin.  Aft 
er  this  we  occupied  our  new  double  log  house,  which 
stood  near  where  Elijah  Shoemaker  now  lives,  and,  by 
slow  degrees,  was  improved  so  as  to  be  comfortable." 

RENEWAL  OF  THE  PENNAMITE  AND  YANKEE  WAR. 

Mr.  Bennet  had  just  removed  his  family  into  his  new 
house,  while  it  was  without  chimney  or  chinking,  when 
the  old  troubles  between  the  two  classes  of  settlers  were 
revived.  Armstrong  and  Van  Horn,  under  the  author 
ity  of  the  Legislative  Council  of  Pennsylvania,  had  come 
on  with  a  company  of  armed  men,  taken  possession  of 
the  fort  at  Wilkesbarre,  and  proceeded  to  drive  the 
New  England  people  from  the  country  by  force  and 
arms.  Captain  Swift,  a  Yankee,  was  wounded  in  an 
attempt  to  fire  the  fort,  and  was  lodged  at  the  widow 
Brockway's,  at  Tuttle's  Creek.  Many  families  were 
driven  from  their  houses ;  among  them  were  the  wid- 


MRS.  MYERS.  181 

ows  Shoemaker  and  Lee,  near  neighbors  to  Mr.  Bennet. 
In  vain  did  they  plead  that  their  husbands  had  been 
slain  by  the  Tories  and  Indians,  and  they  were  help 
less  and  defenseless  widows,  and  they  cordd  not  leave 
their  homes  and  take  a  long  journey  through  the  wil 
derness.  Go  they  must,  and  they  made  the  best  of  the 
necessity.  They  left  a  portion  of  their  goods  with  Mrs. 
Bennet,  and  were  taken  to  Wilkesbarre,  and  thence, 
with  Esquire  Lawrence  Myers,  Giles  Slocurn,  and  many 
others,  were  hurried  on  toward  "  the  swamp."  At 
Capouse,  Myers  and  Slocum  escaped,  but  the  great 
mass  of  the  persecuted  people  had  no  remedy  but  to 
submit  to  their  fate.  Mr.  Miner  says,  "  About  five 
hundred  men,  women,  and  children,  with  scarce  provis 
ions  to  sustain  life,  plodded  their  weary  way,  mostly 
on  foot,  the  road  being  impassable  for  wagons ;  moth 
ers,  carrying  their  infants,  literally  waded  streams,  the 
water  reaching  to  their  arm-pits,  and  at  night  slept  or. 
the  naked  earth,  the  heavens  their  canopy,  with  scarce 
clothes  to  cover  them."  What  a  reflection,  this,  upon 
Armstrong,  Patterson,  Van  Horn,  and  Company ! 

Mr.  Bennet  and  Colonel  Denison  escaped,  and  went 
up  the  river  to  Wyallusing.  Mrs.  Bennet  stuck  by  the 
stuff.  She  had  never  yet  left  the  Valley  for  the  Penn- 
amites,  and  she  had  made  up  her  mind  that  she  never 
would.  She  was  not  left,  however,  in  the  possession 
of  her  home  without  an  effort  to  drive  her  away.  Mrs. 
Myers  says,  "Van  Horn  andhis^>osse  came  up,  having 
pressed  a  Mr.  Eoberts,  with  his  team,  to  carry  off  our 
goods.  Yan  Horn  ordered  mother  to  clear  out,  but  she 
firmly  replied  that  she  was  in  her  own  house,  and  she 
would  not  leave  it  for  him  or  any  body  else.  He  or 
dered  Andrew  and  me  to  put  things  upon  the  wagon, 
a  service  which  we  refused  to  render.  Some  of  the 


182  WYOMING. 

men  went  to  the  corn-house,  where  there  was  a  quan 
tity  of  corn ;  but  mother  seized  a  hoe,  and,  presenting 
herself  before  the  door,  declared  that  she  would  knock 
the  first  man  down  who  touched  an  ear  of  the  corn. 
They  looked  astonished,  and  left  her.  They  then  be 
gan  to  look  about  the  house,  and  they  found  the  big 
chest  belonging  to  the  widows,  which  was  so  heavy 
that  they  found  it  hard  to  lift,  and  they  threatened  to 
break  it  open  with  an  axe.  They  carried  some  of 
our  things  out  of  the  house ;  but,  before  they  had  com 
menced  loading  up,  they  became  alarmed  lest  they 
should  be  noticed  by  the  Yankee  boys,  a  company  of 
whom  were  at  the  widow  Brockway's,  and  they  left 
rather  hastily,  charging  mother  to  be  ready  to  leave 
the  next  morning.  "When  they  left  Koberts  went 
about  his  business,  and  '  the  boys'  came  and  helped  us 
return  our  things  to  their  appropriate  places.  The 
Pennamites  gave  us  no  more  interruption." 

A  few  days  after  the  above  events  had  transpired, 
Miss  Bennet  went  out  to  milk  the  cows  very  early — as 
she  says,  when  she  "could  see  the  stars."  John  Sat- 
terlee  came  along,  to  whom  she  said,  "  Satterlee,  what 
in  the  world  are  you  doing  so  early?"  He  answered, 
"We  have  Dave  Ogden  out  here  in  the  woods."  "Who 
has  him?"  demanded  Miss  Bennet.  "Bill  Slocum," 
was  the  answer.  Said  she,  "  Do  let  him  go ;  he'll  cer 
tainly  kill  you.  Is  he  bound?"  "No,"  was  the  an 
swer.  "Can  you  give  me  something  to  eat?"  asked 
Satterlee.  "  Yes ;  but  you  must  not  tell  where  you 
got  it,"  was  the  answer.  A  cold  cut  was  set  before 
him ;  and,  after  satisfying  his  hunger,  he  left,  smiling. 
Miss  Bennet  charged  him  again  and  again,  while  he 
sat  at  the  table,  either  to  "  let  Ogden  slip  away  or  to 
bind  him  fast."  Colonel  Franklin,  the  Yankee  leader, 


MRS.  MYERS.  183 

had  his  head-quarters  at  Mill  Creek,  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river,  whither  Satterlee  and  Slocum  were 
bound  with  their  prisoner.  They  took  him  into  a  ca 
noe  at  the  mouth  of  Shoemaker's  Creek,  and  push 
ed  off.  Ogden  soon  asked,  "Boys,  can  you  swim?" 
"No,"  was  the  answer.  Ogden's  arms  were  pinioned, 
but  his  feet  were  free.  He  upset  the  canoe,  turned  on 
his  back,  and  easily  shoved  himself  across  the  river. 
Slocum  hung  to  the  canoe,  but  poor  Satterlee  went 
down  and  was  drowned.  Ogden  and  Slocum  came 
out  on  the  bar  opposite  Forty  Fort,  and  took  different 
directions.  Five  of  the  finest  young  men  in  the  set 
tlement  were  killed  during  these  terrible  conflicts, 
among  whom  was  William  Smith,  a  young  man  of  fine 
character,  and  much  beloved. 

"  The  boys"  at  the  widow  Brockway's  had  near 
ly  exhausted  their  powder.  "Word  came  to  Colonel 
Franklin,  but  it  was  a  difficult  matter  to  convey  across 
the  river  the  needed  supply.  Mrs.  Kennedy — an  old 
lady  called  Mother  Kennedy — volunteered  to  convey 
the  powder  to  the  place  where  it  was  wanted.  She 
tied  it  around  her  waist,  under  her  dress,  and  brought 
it  to  Mr.  Bennet's,  whence  it  soon  found  its  way  up  to 
the  widow  Brockway's. 

Soon  after  this  a  large  company,  under  the  command 
of  Captain  Bolin,  a  fine-looking  man,  crossed  the  river 
from  Wilkesbarre,  and  marched  up  toward  the  head 
quarters  of  u  the  boys."  The  captain  called  at  Mr. 
Bennet's,  and  asked  for  a  drink  of  water.  Miss  Ben- 
net  heard  him,  with  a  great  swell,  say,  "  I'll  dislodge 
them."  They  moved  on  toward  the  widow  Brock- 
way's  ;  there  were  four  houses  there,  built  of  hewed 
logs,  so  situated  and  provided  with  loop-holes  as  to 
constitute  a  formidable  fortification.  Martha  Bennet 


184  WYOMING. 

was  anxious  for  the  result,  and  soon  went  around  the 
corner  of  the  house  and  listened.  A  brisk  discharge 
of  fire-arms  soon  commenced,  but  did  not  long  con 
tinue.  Bolin's  company  fired  upon  the  block-houses, 
and  were  promptly  answered.  The  redoubtable  cap 
tain  took  his  position  behind  a  large  tree,  but  the  well- 
directed  aim  of  some  one  of  "  the  boys"  inflicted  upon 
him  a  mortal  wound,  and  he  soon  expired.  The  com 
pany  then  fled  down  the  flats,  bearing  the  corpse  of 
their  captain. 

When  the  hostile  band  were  seen  in  full  retreat, 
Miss  Bennet  made  a  visit  to  Mrs.  Brockway's,  and  found 
no  one  at  all  hurt;  but  Mrs.  Myers,  afterward  Mrs. 
Bidlack,  being  there  for  safety,  said  a  ball  passed  just 
over  her  head.  She  returned  with  Miss  Bennet,  and 
spent  the  night.  Mother  Kennedy's  powder  did  the 
work  this  time,  and,  in  fact,  terminated  this  unhappy 
war.  Mrs.  Myers  says,  "  The  widows  Shoemaker  and 
Lee  soon  returned,  and  we  were  no  more  molested. 
This  awful  civil  war  was  finally  ended,  to  the  great 
joy  of  all  who  loved  peace  and  valued  human  life." 

The  view  which  we  present  of  the  Pennamite  and 
Yankee  wars,  it  will  be  observed,  is  given  from  the 
Yankee  stand-point,  and  often  reflects  discredit  upon 
the  other  party.  It  must  not,  however,  be  understood 
that  all  the  Pennsylvanians  concerned  in  the  wars  are 
regarded  as  equally  guilty,  nor  that  there  were  none 
among  them  entirely  innocent.  The  whole  responsi 
bility  of  the  sanguinary  proceedings,  which  occasioned 
so  much  suffering,  rests  upon  the  land-jobbers;  they 
were  the  men  who  kept  up  the  quarrel,  while  innocent 
parties  on  both  sides  suffered  most  severely. 

With  the  termination  of  the  last  Pennamite  and 
Yankee  war  Mrs.  Mvers's  narration  closes.  What  re- 


MRS.  MYERS.  185 

mains  to  be  done  is  to  give  a  more  particular  account 
of  the  conclusion  of  this  unfortunate  struggle,  and  a 
brief  sketch  of  the  subsequent  history  of  the  relater  of 
the  stories  which  we  have  endeavored  faithfully  to  re 
cord. 

The  Pennamite  and  Yankee  war  was  finally  termi 
nated  on  the  principle  of  mutual  concession,  but  not 
without  great  difficulty.  At  the  close  of  the  Kevolu- 
tionary  war,  the  "Superior  Executive  Council  of  Penn 
sylvania"  petitioned  Congress  for  a  hearing  in  relation 
to  the  Connecticut  claim,  "  agreeable  to  the  ninth  ar 
ticle  of  the  Confederation. ' '  Connecticut  promptly  met 
the  overture.  A  court  was  constituted  by  mutual 
consent,  which  held  its  session  in  Trenton,  New  Jersey. 
The  decree  was  awarded,  on  the  80th  of  December, 
1 782,  in  favor  of  the  jurisdiction  of  Pennsylvania.  The 
Pennsylvanians,  of  course,  were  pleased,  and  the  New 
England  people  made  up  their  minds  to  submit  to  the 
decision.  There  was,  however,  still  a  question  left 
open  of  vastly  greater  importance  than  the  jurisdiction 
over  the  country ;  that  question  was  the  right  of  the 
soil.  The  Pennamites  thenceforward  made  every  ef 
fort  to  drive  out  the  Yankees,  and  to  possess  their 
lands.  A  military  force  was  employed  to  drive  off 
"the  intruders,"  and  to  take  from  them  the  fruit  of 
their  toils  and  sacrifices.  Blood  again  began  to  flow, 
and  there  were  prospects  of  a  more  terrible  conflict 
than  had  yet  taken  place  in  the  ill-stared  valley.  In 
the  sanguinary  conflicts  which  now  occurred  Swift  was 
wounded,  and  Stevens  and  Smith  were  killed  on  the 
Yankee  side,  and  Bolin  and  others  fell  on  the  side  of 
the  Pennamites.  Untold  hardships  were  inflicted  upon 
the  greatest  portion  of  the  settlers ;  they  were  abso 
lutely  driven  out  of  the  Valley  by  the  point  of  the 


186  WYOMING. 

bayonet.  They  were  driven  through  the  swamp,  that 
being  the  nearest  way  to  Connecticut.  This  way  con 
sisted  of  sixty  miles  of  wilderness,  and  it  had  to  be 
traced  on  foot.  Esquire  Elisha  Harding,  one  of  the 
sufferers,  gives  the  following  graphic  and  touching  ac 
count  of  the  exodus:  "It  was  a  solemn  scene:  par 
ents,  their  children  crying  for  hunger;  aged  men  on 
crutches — all  urged  forward  by  an  armed  force  at  our 
heels.  The  first  night  we  encamped  at  Capouse,  the 
second  at  Cobb's,  the  third  at  Little  Meadow,  so  called. 
Cold,  hungry,  and  drenched  with  rain,  the  poor  wom 
en  and  children  suffered  much.  The  fourth  night  at 
Lackawack,  fifth  at  Blooming-grove,  sixth  at  Shehola ; 
on  the  seventh  arrived  at  the  Delaware,  where  the 
people  dispersed,  some  going  up,  and  some  down  the 
river.  I  kept  on  east,  and  when  I  got  to  the  top  of 
Shongum  Mountain,  I  looked  back  with  this  thought : 
Shall  I  abandon  Wyoming  forever  ?  The  reply  was, 
No!  oh  no!  there  lie  my  murdered  brothers  and 
friends.  Dear  to  me  art  thou,  though  a  land  of  afflic 
tion.  Every  way  looks  gloomy  except  toward  Wyo 
ming.  Poor,  ragged,  and  distressed  as  I  was,  I  had 
youth,  health,  and  felt  that  my  heart  was  whole.  So 
I  turned  back  to  defend  or  die." — Miner's  History,  p. 
346. 

"And  oh!  ye  fountains,  meadows,  hills,  and  groves, 
Think  not  of  any  severing  of  your  loves  : 

I  love  the  brooks  which  down  their  channels  fret 
E'en  more  than  when  I  tripped  lightly  as  they. 
The  innocent  brightness  of  a  new-born  day 

Is  lovely  yet ; 

The  clouds  that  gather  round  the  setting  sun 
Do  take  a  sober  coloring  from  an  eye 
That  hath  kept  watch  o'er  man's  mortality  : 
Another  race  hath  been,  and  other  palms  are  won. " 

WORDSWORTH. 


MBS.  MYERS.  187 

Public  sentiment  in  Pennsylvania  condemned  this 
brutal  outrage  upon  the  common  laws  of  humanity,  and 
the  land-sharks  who  were  concerned  in  it  were  compel 
led  to  modify  their  course.  The  Legislative  Council 
of  Pennsylvania  found  it  necessary  to  adopt  concilia 
tory  measures,  and  finally  put  the  New  England  peo 
ple  into  peaceable  possession  of  their  homes,  on  terms 
which  the  considerate  were  willing  to  accept.  There 
was  an  ultra  Yankee  party,  which  sprung  up  under  the 
leadership  of  Colonel  John  Franklin,  and  they  openly 
opposed  the  jurisdiction  of  Pennsylvania.  A  series  of 
conflicts  followed  between  Franklin  and  his  party  on 
the  one  hand,  and  Colonel  Pickering,  the  government 
functionary,  and  his  party  on  the  other,  during  which 
Franklin,  upon  the  charge  of  treason,  was  seized  and 
sent  in  irons  to  Philadelphia ;  and,  in  retaliation,  Pick 
ering  was  abducted  and  carried  off  into  the  woods,  and 
kept  on  short  allowance  among  the  musquitoes  for 
near  three  weeks.  Franklin  was  tamed  by  his  long 
imprisonment  of  more  than  one  year,  and  the  people 
of  Wyoming  had  rest. 

It  is  a  curious  fact  that,  in  all  these  troubles  with 
the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  the  Yankees  had  the  sym 
pathies  of  a  multitude  of  the  people  in  this  state ;  and 
there  were  those  who  suffered  in  common  with  them, 
not  only  from  Pennsylvania,  but  from  various  other 
states.  The  Shoemakers  and  M'Dowells  were  Pennsyl- 
vanians,  and  Esquire  Lawrence  Myers  was  from  Mary 
land.  No  matter  where  they  were  from,  to  Connecti 
cut  they  must  go,  and  they  were  pushed  off  through  the 
swamp.  Myers  escaped  at  Capouse,  and  * '  the  widows, ' ' 
after  the  brave  posse  of  "  militia"  had  quit  them  at  the 
Delaware,  went  down  stream  to  their  friends.  The 
guilt  of  these  people,  it  is  presumed,  consisted  in  their 


188  WYOMING. 

having  formed  alliances  with  the  Yankees,  or  taken  a 
Connecticut  title  for  their  lands.  Myers  had  married 
a  Yankee  wife,  and  that  was  a  sufficient  reason  why 
he  should  be  marched  off  through  the  swamp  toward 
Connecticut. 

The  Eevolutionary  war  closed,  and  peace  blessed 
all  parts  of  the  country  except  Wyoming.  A  five 
years'  war  between  two  parties  which  had  contracted 
a  bitter  hatred  for  each  other  followed,  in  which  prop 
erty  and  life  were  sacrificed,  and  the  bitter  fruits  of 
civil  war  made  up  a  fearful  harvest.  But  peace — wel 
come  peace — finally  came,  and  the  wounds  inflicted  by 
the  sanguinary  scenes  of  those  fearful  times  were  grad 
ually  healed. 

In  the  midst  of  the  terrible  conflicts  and  unexampled 
sufferings  which  we  have  been  called  to  survey  as  we 
have  passed  through  the  preceding  pages,  there  were 
tender  greetings  and  matrimonial  alliances.  The  brave 
girls  of  those  times  found  means  of  access  to  the  hearts 
of  the  brave  lads,  both  in  the  army  and  among  the 
hardy  settlers.  As,  in  the  popular  romances,  love  and 
murder  hold  prominence  in  the  plot,  and  are  closely 
related,  so,  in  the  history  of  Wyoming,  these  two  an 
tagonisms  stand  out  in  bold  relief,  and  are  traced  in 
parallel  lines,  While  the  soldiers  were  guarding  the 
girls  in  their  excursions  over  the  plains  in  quest  of 
"five-finger-leaf,"  or  the  wild  fruits  which  clustered 
in  abundance  in  the  thickets- — while  the  thunder  of 
the  battle  roared,  and  while  old  and  young  fled  in  dis 
may  before  the  conquering  foe,  common  danger  and 
mutual  sympathy  engendered  attachments.  Glances 
were  exchanged  and  hearts  were  won  in  the  midst  of 
civil  commotions,  while  the  groans  of  the  slain  were 
wafted  upon  the  breeze. 


MRS.  MYERS.  189 

"  In  peace  Love  tunes  the  shepherd's  reed, 
In  war  she  mounts  the  warrior's  steed  ; 
In  halls  in  gay  attire  is  seen, 
In  hamlets  dances  on  the  green." 

SCOTT'S  Lay  of  the  last  Minstrel. 

The  tender  emotions  originating  under  the  fitful  cir 
cumstances  of  the  times  were  often  dissipated  by  the 
sad  rumors  which  were  too  common  to  excite  surprise. 
The  cup  of  bliss  was  often  dashed  to  the  ground  by 
the  chances  of  war  ere  it  touched  the  fevered  lip.  The 
affianced  bade  adieu  to  his  loved  one,  to  play  the  man 
for  his  country  or  his  party,  and  never  returned.  His 
fall  upon  the  battle-field  or  at  the  post  of  public  duty 
sent  to  one  heart  a  deeper  thrill  of  sorrow  than  that 
which  agonized  the  heart  of  the  mother  who  bore  him. 
The  story  of  his  fate  for  long  years  with  that  one 
would  be  the  leading  fact  in  the  history  of  a  most 
eventful  period. 

The  picture  which  is  but  faintly  drawn  above  is  not 
an  imaginary  one.  There  were  cases  of  the  kind — 
there  may  have  been  many — there  certainly  was  one. 
Martha  Bennet  and  William  Smith  were  solemnly 
pledged  to  each  other  through  life,  for  weal  or  woe. 
Smith  was  shot  in  cold  blood  from  the  fort,  when  oc 
cupied  by  the  Pennamites,  while  walking  across  the 
street  in  his  shirt-sleeves  in  the  evening,  near  the  term 
ination  of  that  unnatural  civil  war.  Miss  Bennet  was 
disconsolate,  and  for  a  considerable  time  thought  to 
spend  her  life  in  a  state  of  celibacy.  William  Smith 
was  a  son  of  the  wife  of  Doctor  William  Hooker  Smith 
by  a  former  husband  by  the  name  of  Smith.  The 
death  of  Smith  created  a  deep  sensation  among  the 
settlers,  and  inflicted  an  incurable  wound  upon  the 
hearts  of  a  large  and  respectable  circle  of  relations  and 


190  WYOMING. 

friends.  Martha  Bennet — subsequently  Mrs.  Myers — 
was  treated  as  a  sister  by  the  numerous  family  of  Dr. 
Smith — daughters  and  sons — until  they  had  all  gone 
far  down  the  vale  of  years. 

In  the  great  conflict  for  ascendency  between  John 
Franklin  and  Timothy  Pickering,  many  of  the  leading 
spirits  in  the  preceding  conflicts  on  the  Yankee  side 
were  for  submission  to  the  laws  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
consequently  arranged  themselves  on  the  side  of  Pick 
ering.  It  was  finally  agreed  to  hold  what,  in  modern 
parlance,  would  be  called  a  great  mass  meeting,  on  the 
old  battle-ground  at  Forty  Fort,  in  May,  1787,  and  de 
cide  the  question  by  popular  vote.  A  stand  was 
erected  for  the  moderator,  clerk,  and  speakers,  and  the 
hard-fisted  settlers  were  assembled  to  listen  to  the 
propositions  of  the  parties  and  the  pleadings  of  the 
advocates.  James  Sutton,  Esquire,  was  called  to  the 
chair.  Colonel  Pickering  made  an  eloquent  speech  in 
favor  of  submission  to  the  jurisdiction  of  Pennsylvania, 
giving  the  most  ample  assurances  that  the  government 
would  protect  the  settlers  in  all  their  rights  as  citizens, 
and  that  there  should  be  no  more  harassing  proceed 
ings  instituted  against  them.  Colonel  Franklin  then 
arose  and  rehearsed  the  grievances  of  the  settlers,  and 
denounced  "the  pretended  compromise"  and  all  its 
supporters  in  the  most  unmeasured  terms.  The  blood 
of  the  old  Yankees  was  stirred.  Some  were  on  one 
side,  and  others  on  the  other,  but  all  were  excited  and 
determined  on  victory.  The  old  argument  of  physical 
force  was  not  yet  quite  out  of  date,  and,  in  the  absence 
of  fire-arms,  each  man  ran  to  the  grove  hard  by  and 
cut  a  club.  Many  blows  were  dealt  out  on  both 
sides,  but  were  so  adroitly  parried  off  that  no  heads 
were  broken.  There  was  a  general  melee.  Esquire 


MRS.  MYERS.  193 

Sutton  was  driven  from  the  stage  and  disappeared. 
Supposing  that  lie  was  spirited  away,  and  was  about 
to  be  victimized  by  the  hair-brained  partisans  of  Frank 
lin,  a  party  scoured  the  wo'ods  and  by-places,  and  found 
him,  now  left  to  himself.  Colonel  Hollenback  cracked 
Colonel  Franklin  about  the  ears  with  his  riding- whip, 
loading  him  with  a  volley  of  epithets.  A  rather  in 
formal  vote  to  sustain  the  laws  of  Pennsylvania  and  ac 
cept  the  proposed  compromise  was  passed,  and  the  gather 
ing  dispersed. 

A  new-comer  mingled  in  this  scene.  The  reader 
has  noticed  the  name  of  Lawrence  Myers  introduced 
on  several  occasions  in  the  preceding  narrative.  The 
father  of  Esquire  Myers  removed,  with  his  family,  from 
Germany  in  the  year  1760,  and  settled  in  Frederick, 
in  the  State  of  Maryland.  He  had  four  sons,  Law 
rence,  Philip,  Henry,  and  Michael.  The  two  former 
served  the  country  in  the  Revolutionary  war  in  the 
Maryland  line,  and  were  in  the  battle  of  Germantown. 
Lawrence  had  come  to  "Wyoming,  and  married,  and 
become  identified  with  the  New  England  settlers.  He 
was  a  man  of  spirit  and  enterprise,  and  was  appointed 
deputy  sheriff  under  the  laws  of  Pennsylvania,  and  ex 
ercised  his  functions  and  his  influence  in  quieting  mat 
ters  under  the  compromise.  His  brother  Philip  came 
on  to  Wyoming  in  1785,  and  was  present  at  "  the  club- 
fight."  He  had  sought  the  hand  of  Martha  Bennet, 
and  they  were  joined  in  marriage  July  15,  1787,  he 
being  aged  27,  and  she  25  years. 

Mr.  Thomas  Bennet  gave  his  son-in-law  a  town  lot 
on  the  north  line  of  old  Forty  Fort.  On  this  he  erect 
ed  a  comfortable  house,  constructed  of  yellow  pine 
logs,  hewed,  and  pointed  with  lime  mortar,  and  lined  on 
the  inside.  This  old  relic  still  stands,  and,  if  no  vio- 

I 


194  WYOMING. 

lence  is  done  to  it,  with,  reasonable  repairs  may  live  to 
see  the  opening  of  the  next  century. 

The  storm  of  war  had  blown  over,  old  grudges  be 
tween  the  two  classes  of  settlers  were  fast  fading  away, 
and  society  was  assuming  a  condition  of  stability  and 
prosperity. 

"Affliction's  cloud,  however  dark, 

Grows  lighter  by  the  lapse  of  years, 
And  many  a  sorrow  now  we  mark, 
Once  deeply  felt,  whose  very  tears 
Have  left,  as  brighter  scenes  passed  by, 
Only  a  rainbow  in  the  sky." 

ROSCOE. 

Mr.  Myers  purchased  a  lot  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
acres,  extending  from  Forty  Fort  to  the  top  of  the 
mountain.  He  cleared  up  his  farm,  and  raised  a  large 
family  of  children.  Mrs.  Myers's  great  force  of  char 
acter  never  forsook  her.  She  possessed  a  strength  of 
will  and  a  firmness  of  nerve  which  carried  her  through 
dangers,  sufferings,  and  toils  enough  to  have  broken 
down  many  ordinary  women.  For  many  years  Mr. 
Myers  kept  a  public  house.  His  house  being  situ 
ated  on  an  eddy  in  the  Susquehanna,  it  was  a  great 
place  of  resort  for  the  lumbermen  bringing  their 
pine  lumber  from  the  upper  part  of  the  Susquehanna 
and  its  tributaries,  and  taking  it  to  the  Baltimore  and 
Philadelphia  markets.  The  consequence  was  that  Mr. 
Myers's  house  was  thronged  for  weeks  by  the  hardy 
"raftsmen"  every  spring.  The  house  would  often  be 
literally  jammed  full,  and  nearly  all  the  night  would 
be  occupied  by  all  the  help  that  could  be  raised  in 
preparing  for  breakfast.  But  Mrs.  Myers's  resources 
never  failed  her ;  no  one  left  her  table  without  having 
had  set  before  him  an  abundant  supply  of  food,  pre 
pared  in  the  best  style  of  the  times.  She  was  an  ad- 


MRS.  MYERS.  195 

mirable  housewife  down  to  old  age;  and  when  her 
circumstances  would  have  excused  her  from  anxious 
care,  from  mere  habit  she  governed  the  kitchen  and 
directed  all  the  cooking  processes. 

Mrs.  Myers  was  a  large-hearted,  liberal  woman.  She 
had  the  poor  always  with  her.  Upon  the  town  lots  at 
Forty  Fort  were  located  a  race  of  poor  people — some 
of  them  idle,  some  intemperate,  and  many  of  them 
vicious.  Whoever  or  whatever  they  were,  worthy  or 
unworthy  of  her  charity,  they  were  never  turned 
away  empty.  Every  day,  summer  and  winter,  poor, 
squalid,  ragged,  barefooted  women  and  children  were 
dismissed  from  her  door  with  some  of  the  necessaries 
of  life.  And  she  did  not  always  wait  for  an  applica 
tion  on  the  part  of  the  needy.  Often  at  dinner  she 
would  say,  "  Boys,  I  want  to  ride  out  this  afternoon." 
No  questions  would  be  asked,  but  at  the  proper  time 
the  horse  and  carriage  were  ready,  and  often  she  was 
her  own  driver.  She  first  ordered  her  bags  and  bas 
kets  of  good  things  deposited  in  the  carriage,  and  then 
oif  she  went  to  make  the  heart  of  the  needy  glad. 
Mrs.  Myers  was  no  mean  driver,  even  when  she  had 
become  advanced  in  age.  "When  between  sixty  and 
seventy  years  of  age,  she  was  left  in  the  carriage,  in 
the  village  of  Kingston,  by  some  male  member  of  the 
family.  In  his  absence  the  animal  became  restive, 
and  set  off  at  full  speed.  Instead  of  giving  him  a 
chance  for  a  fair  run  up  the  plain,  smooth  road  home 
ward,  she  obliged  him  to  describe  half  a  circle  and 
come  up  against  a  heavy  "  pair  of  bars."  The  animal 
by  this  time  had  acquired  a  tremendous  momentum, 
and  in  an  attempt  to  scale  the  bars  he  went  through 
them  with  a  terrible  crash ;  then,  being  in  a  barn-yard, 
his  race  ended.  When  a  dozen  men,  who  had  started 


196  WYOMING. 

on  the  chase,  came  up,  the  old  heroine  was  upon  the 
seat,  with  the  reins  fast  in  her  hands,  with  nothing 
about  the  carriage  or  harness  injured  at  all.  During 
the  whole  operation  she  had  not  uttered  a  word,  ex 
cepting  a  moderate  "  whoa !"  to  the  horse,  and  this  she 
ceased  to  do  when  she  found  it  of  no  use.  Upon  her 
return  home  she  spoke  of  the  event  with  perfect  com 
posure,  attributing  her  safety  entirely  to  the  provi 
dence  of  God. 

Mrs.  Myers  was  left  a  widow  on  April  2, 1835.  Mr. 
Myers  had  a  protracted  illness,  and  during  his  decline 
and  gradual  approach  to  the  hour  of  his  departure  his 
ever-faithful  and  kind-hearted  companion  never  left 
him,  scarcely  for  a  day,  to  the  care  of  others.  On  re 
newing  the  fire  one  night,  a  spark  of  burning  anthra 
cite  coal  struck  her  eye  near  the  pupil.  This  injury 
brought  on  cataract.  She  had  scarcely  lost  the  sight 
of  one  eye  before  the  other  began  to  fail,  and  she  final 
ly  lost  that,  and  the  world  was  thenceforward  shut  out 
from  her  vision. 

"Thus  with  the  year 
Seasons  return,  but  not  to  me  returns 
Day,  or  the  sweet  approach  of  ev'n  or  morn, 
Or  sight  of  vernal  bloom,  or  summer's  rose, 
Or  flocks,  or  herds,  or  human  face  divine ; 
But  clouds  instead,  and  ever-during  dark 
Surrounds  me ;  from  the  cheerful  ways  of  mail 
Cut  off,  and  for  the  book  of  knowledge  fair 
Presented  with  a  universal  blank 
Of  Nature's  works,  to  me  expunged  and  rased, 
And  wisdom  at  one  entrance  quite  shut  out." 

MILTON. 

She  lived  after  this  nearly  sixteen  years,  an  example 
of  pious  resignation,  and  an  interesting  instance  of 
physical  and  intellectual  vigor. 


MRS.  MYERS.  ^ 

Mrs.  Myers  was  visited  by  Professor  Silliman  previ 
ous  to  her  blindness.  Mr.  Miner  gives  an  account  of 
the  visit  in  his  history.  Colonel  Stone  and  Mr.  Los- 
sing,  in  turn,  with  other  interesting  tourists  and  authors, 
called  upon  her,  as  the  most  accurate  chronicler  of  the 
stirring  and  romantic  events  of  the  early  history  of 
Wyoming.  All  make  honorable  mention  of  her.  Her 
accurate  memory  of  the  scenes  which  came  under  her 
own  observation,  and  those  which  were  matter  of  com 
mon  report  and  universal  belief  in  the  olden  time,  is 
remarked  with  admiration  by  the  authors  above  re 
ferred  to.  But  those  alone  who  had  been  accustomed 
to  hear  these  events  related  for  years  are  prepared 
fully  to  appreciate  her  extreme  accuracy  of  recollec 
tion.  Her  children,  who  heard  her  stories  hundreds 
of  times,  we  will  venture  to  say,  never  caught  her  in  a 
single  contradiction  or  a  material  variation  in  relating 
the  same  facts.  She  never  obtruded  her  reminiscences 
upon  unwilling  ears,  but,  when  requested  —  and  this 
was  often  done — she  was  always  prepared  to  recall  the 
strange  events  of  her  life. 

What  was  very  extraordinary  in  the  case  of  Mrs. 
Myers  is  that  she  continued,  to  the  last  point  of  life,  to 
remember  recent  occurrences  as  well  as  those  which 
transpired  in  the  days  of  her  youthful  vigor.  Her 
activejiabits  made  it  unpleasant  to  her  to  remain  long 
at  the  same  place.  She  consequently  itinerated  around 
among  her  children,  who  were  settled  in  the  neigh 
borhood.  While  at  one  of  these  places  she  learned, 
by  overhearing  conversation,  and  occasionally  asking 
a  question,  all  that  was  going  on  upon  the  premises ; 
and  when  she  removed  to  another  place,  she  related 
all  the  domestic  news,  giving  most  accurate  accounts 
of  the  whole  course  of  business.  Let  it  not  be  sup- 


198  WYOMING. 

posed,  however,  that  she  exposed  the  imperfections  or 
weaknesses  of  one  family  circle  to  another.  She  nev 
er  dwelt  upon  the  faults  of  the  absent ;  and,  in  speak 
ing  of  one  of  her  children  to  another,  she  always  made 
every  thing  as  fair  as  possible.  No  mother  was  ever 
more  constant  and  earnest  in  the  pursuit  of  the  best 
means  to  establish  and  maintain  a  most  cordial  family 
feeling  among  her  children. 

Mr.  Myers  died  at  the  old  homestead,  the  house 
which  he  first  occupied  after  his  marriage,  and  in 
which  all  his  children  were  born  and  reared.  Mrs. 
Myers  died  at  the  house  of  her  son-in-law,  Madison  F. 
Myers,  on  the  old  Lawrence  Myers  farm,  January  3. 
1851.  She  had  been  rather  indisposed  for  a  few  days, 
and  required  special  attention.  Her  daughter  visited 
her  room  at  about  one  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and, 
finding  her  awake,  asked  her  how  she  was.  She  made 
no  complaint,  but  urged  her  to  retire  and  take  some 
rest.  Upon  receiving  a  spoonful  of  liquid  to  moisten 
her  lips,  she  said,  "  How  good  the  Lord  is."  These 
were  her  last  words.  The  daughter  retired,  and  the 
nurse  fell  asleep.  At  early  dawn  she  was  found  life 
less.  The  lamp  of  life  had  quietly  expired,  no  evi 
dence  being  left  of  the  slightest  struggle,  or  the  un 
natural  motion  of  a  muscle — twelve  days  short  of 
eighty-nine  years  of  age.  «• 

"Thrice  welcome,  Death ! 
That  after  many  a  painful,  bleeding  step, 
Conducts  us  to  our  home,  and  lands  us  safe 
On  the  long-wished-for  shore.    Prodigious  change ! 
Our  bane  turned  to  a  blessing !     Death  disarmed, 
Loses  his  fellness  quite  :   all  thanks  to  Him 
Who  scourged  the  venom  out.     Sure  the  last  end 
Of  the  good  man  is  peace  !     How  calm  his  exit ! 
Night-dews  fall  not  more  gently  to  the  ground, 


MRS.  MYERS.  199 

Nor  weary,  worn-out  winds  expire  so  soft. 
Behold  him  in  the  coming  tide  of  life— 
A  life  well  spent,  whose  early  care  it  was 
His  riper  years  should  not  upbraid  his  green : 
By  unperceived  degrees  he  wears  away, 
Yet,  like  the  sun,  seems  larger  at  his  setting." 

EGBERT  BLAIR. 


200  WYOMING. 


Y. 

SKETCHES  AND  INCIDENTS  COMMUNICATED  BY  MKS. 
DEBORAH  BEDFOED. 

"  Old  men  beheld,  and  did  her  reverence, 
And  bade  their  daughters  look,  and  take  from  her 
Example  of  their  future  life ;  the  young 
Admired,  and  new  resolve  of  virtue  made."— POLLOK. 

MRS.  BEDFORD,  at  the  time  of  this  writing,  is  living 
and  enjoying  comfortable  health.  She  lives,  as  she 
has  done  since  the  death  of  her  husband,  with  her  son, 
Dr.  Andrew  Bedford,  of  Abington,  Luzerne  County, 
Pennsylvania.  From  early  childhood  she  has  main 
tained  a  character  not  only  without  reproach,  but  above 
suspicion.  She  is  the  oracle  of  her  family  circle,  and 
is  universally  loved.  She  is  one  of  the  few  instances 
which  are  seen  in  a  century  of  a  contented,  happy, 
hopeful  mind,  which  has  borne  the  friction  and  sus 
tained  the  hardships  of  eighty -five  years.  She  joined 
the  first  Methodist  society  which  was  formed  in  Wyo 
ming  in  1788,  only  ten  years  after  the  Indian  battle. 
Her  memory  of  the  events  of  the  olden  time  is  still 
quite  perfect,  and  her  relations  are  given  with  more 
emotion  than  is  common  to  those  of  her  years.  There 
is  a  remarkably  matter-of-fact,  business  style  about  the 
stories  of  the  survivors  of  the  old  stirring  and  bloody 
times  ;  but  Mrs.  Bedford  seems  to  recall  the  fears,  the 
hopes,  the  sorrows,  and  the  joys  of  the  scenes  in  which 
she  mingled  eighty  years  agone.  Her  sympathies  are 
so  deep  that  time  has  labored  in  vain  to  extinguish 
them.  We  are  aware  of  the  delicacy  of  writing  of  the 
living ;  thus  much  we  have  thought  it  proper  to  say, 


MRS.  BEDFORD.  201 

and  we  hope  that  the  modest  self-distrust,  and  desire 
to  keep  out  of  sight,  which  are  characteristic  of  our 
venerated  friend,  will  not  so  far  influence  her  mind  as 
that  this  just  tribute  to  her  virtues  will  cause  her  pain. 

Mrs.  Bedford  was  the  daughter  of  James  and  Sarah 
Sutton,  and  was  born  February  8th,  1773,  in  North 
Castle,  New  York.  Her  father  was  engaged  in  mer 
chandising,  and,  when  British  goods  were  interdicted, 
he  sold  his  property  and  removed  to  Wyoming,  in 
company  with  Dr.  William  Hooker  Smith,  his  father- 
in-law.  Dr.  Samuel  Gustin  married  Susan  Smith,  his 
wife's  sister,  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Smith,  and  was 
assistant  surgeon  with  him  in  the  army. 

Mr.  Sutton  settled  on  Jacob's  Plains,  on  the  east  side 
of  the  Susquehanna,  two  miles  above  Wilkesbarre. 
Before  the  Indian  troubles  he  removed  to  Exeter,  on 
the  west  side  of  the  river,  about  five  miles  above  the 
head  of  the  valley  of  Wyoming.  Here  he  built  a  grist 
mill  and  a  saw-mill  upon  a  stream  which  gushes  from 
a  notch  of  the  mountain.  His  house  was  built  in  the 
steep  hill-side,  and  the  scenery  around  him  was  wild 
and  picturesque.  Mr.  Sutton  was  possessed  of  unusual 
mechanical  genius.  He  was  not  a  carpenter  by  trade, 
but,  aided  by  a  Dictionary  of  Arts,  he  was  able  to  do 
most  of  the  work  of  planning  and  constructing  his 
mills  himself. 

At  this  time  the  Indians  were  friendly,  and  often 
visited  Mr.  Sutton's  house.  A  company  of  them,  made 
up  of  both  sexes,  once  came  in  and  cut  up  various 
pranks  which  greatly  amused  the  children.  They 
danced  before  the  looking-glass  with  long  ribbons  tied 
to  their  hair  behind,  and  seemed  to  feel  no  restraint 
even  in  a  house  well  fitted  up  and  furnished.  Mr. 

12 


202  WYOMING. 

Sutton  and  his  lady  seldom  opposed  their  wishes,  as 
they  did  not  choose  to  offend  them.  An  old  Indian 
once  having  brought  a  grist  to  the  mill,  after  Mr.  But 
ton  had  taken  out  the  toll,  when  he  thought  himself 
unobserved,  took  the  measure  and  put  the  toll  back 
into  the  hopper.  Mr.  Sutton  thought  this  an  occasion 
for  a  little  sternness.  He  charged  the  theft  upon  him, 
and  again  took  the  toll.  The  savage  was  sullen,  but 
offered  no  resistance. 

In  the  year  1777 — the  year  before  the  battle — there 
was  much  talk  of  war  with  the  Indians.  Several  per 
sons  were  killed  up  the  river,  and  others  taken  prison 
ers.  Mr.  Sutton  and  John  Jenkins,  afterward  known 
as  Colonel  Jenkins,  made  a  journey  through  the  wil 
derness  to  Queen  Esther's  Flats,  in  order  to  procure 
the  liberation  of  Mr.  Ingersoll,  who  had  been  carried 
into  captivity.  The  distance  of  Queen  Esther's  town 
from  Wyoming  was  about  ninety  miles.  The  visitors 
were  treated  very  courteously  by  the  queen,  and  she 
was  free  in  her  communications  with  regard  to  the 
prospect  of  war.  She  said  she  was  opposed  to  war ; 
she  wished  the  Indians  and  white  people  to  live  in 
peace  with  each  other.  Mr.  Sutton  belonged  to  the  so 
ciety  of  Friends,  was  a  religious  man,  and  talked  with 
the  queen  religiously.  She  seemed  to  have  correct 
views  of  religious  and  moral  obligations. 

They  were  invited  to  spend  the  night  with  the 
queen,  and  the  true  spirit  of  hospitality  seemed  to 
characterize  all  her  communications  and  arrangements. 
In  the  course  of  the  evening,  however,  things  took  a 
new  turn,  and  the  travelers,  for  a  while,  were  at  a  loss 
what  construction  to  put  upon  the  indications  outside. 
A  company  of  Indians  came  before  the  house,  and, 
seating  themselves  upon  a  log,  began  to  sing  "  the  war 


MRS.  BEDFORD.  203 

song."  The  old  queen  went  out  to  them,  and  was  en 
gaged  in  an  earnest  conversation  with  them  for  a  long 
time.  When  she  came  in  she  frankly  told  her  guests 
that  the  Indians  were  determined  to  waylay  and  kill 
them,  adding,  with  great  emphasis,  "  I  can  do  nothing 
with  them.  Now,"  said  she,  "you  lie  down  until  I 
call  you."  They  did  so ;  and  when  all  was  still  in  the 
town,  she  called  them,  and  then,  said,  "  You  must  go 
down  the  river.  Go  down  the  bank,  and  take  my  ca 
noe,  and  paddle  it  without  noise.  Lift  the  paddles  up 
edgewise,  so  as  to  make  no  splash  in  the  water,  and 
you  may  get  out  of  reach  before  the  war-party  find  out 
which  way  you  have  gone."  They  slipped  off  and 
found  the  canoe,  which  the  queen  had  particularly  de 
scribed,  scrupulously  followed  her  directions,  and  found 
their  way  home  in  safety. 

The  Indians  which  were  prowling  about  now  began 
to  be  ill-natured,  and  to  exhibit  signs  of  hatred  to  the 
settlers.  On  one  occasion  they  made  a  war  demon 
stration  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  in  full  view 
from  Mr.  Sutton's  house.  There  was  a  large  company, 
and  they  were  seen  gathering  pine  knots  for  the  whole 
day.  They  collected  a  vast  pile,  and  when  night  came 
they  set  them  on  fire.  The  flame  seemed  to  go  up 
to  the  clouds,  and  sent  out  its  glare  over  all  the  region 
round  about.  The  Indians  danced  and  whooped,  sung 
and  yelled,  around  the  fire  the  whole  night.  The 
spectacle  was  most  terrific. 

In  the  spring  of  1778,  Mr.  Sutton  rented  his  premises 
in  Exeter,  and  purchased  a  mill-seat  in  Kingston,  in 
the  place  since  called  Hartsift's  Hollow,  one  mile  from 
Forty  Fort.  He  sawed  a  quantity  of  lumber  and 
made  a  raft.  Then,  putting  on  board  the  raft  his  fam 
ily  and  all  his  valuables,  they  were  floated  down  to 


204  WYOMING.  ' 

"  Forty  Fort  Eddy."  Mrs.  Bedford  says :  "  We  lived 
in  a  shanty  while  our  house  was  being  built,  and  it 
was  nearly  finished,  when  we  were  overwhelmed  with 
a  tide  of  troubles.  A  malignant  and  contagious  dis 
ease,  called  the  putrid  fever,  broke  out  in  the  settle 
ment.  My  grandmother  Smith  and  aunt  Gustin  died 
of  this  disease.  A  young  man  who  was  at  work  upon 
our  house  also  died,  and  my  mother,  two  sisters,  and 
myself  caught  the  disease  from  him. 

"  The  settlers  now  began  to  be  apprehensive  of  an 
attack  from  the  Indians,  and  many  of  them  removed 
to  the  fort.  My  youngest  sister  died,  and  then  our 
nurse  left  us  and  went  into  the  fort  with  her  parents. 
Doctors  Smith  and  Gustin  told  us  that  there  were  so 
many  sick  in  the  fort  that  if  we  went  there  we  would 
probably  die ;  that  those  who  were  as  near  the  fort  as 
we  were  would  do  better  to  remain  at  their  homes  as 
long  as  they  could  do  so  with  safety.  It  was  then  ar 
ranged  that,  if  there  should  be  a  prospect  of  an  attack, 
three  alarm-guns  should  be  fired  at  the  fort.  One  day 
an  old  gray -headed  Indian  came  and  walked  back  and 
forth  before  our  door  several  times.  Father,  suppos 
ing  that  there  was  a  company  of  Indians  on  the  hill, 
and,  if  the  old  Indian  was  molested,  they  would  come 
and  massacre  us,  gave  him  a  loaf  of  bread,  when  he 
went  away,  and  we  saw  no  more  of  him." 

One  morning  early  the  alarm-guns  were  fired,  and 
Mr.  Sutton  went  to  the  fort  to  ascertain  the  state  of  mat 
ters.  When  he  left  he  ordered  things  to  be  put  in  a 
state  of  readiness  to  remove.  He  soon  returned  with 
an  officer,  a  team,  and  a  file  of  armed  men.  Mrs.  Sut 
ton  was  fast  recovering;  Deborah  was  much  better,  but 
not  yet  able  to  walk  any  distance;  and  the  younger 
daughter  was  yet  extremely  low,  and  was  carried  upon 


MRS.  BEDFORD.  205 

a  litter.  Deborah,  was  taken  on  a  wheelbarrow  by  a 
young  man  by  the  name  of  Asa  Gore,  who  belonged 
to  Captain  Stuart's  company,  and  was  afterward  killed 
in  the  battle.  They  reached  the  fort,  and  the  sick  were 
laid  on  beds  spread  upon  the  floor. 

Lieutenant  Hamilton  had  been  to  General  Washing 
ton's  head-quarters,  and  most  eloquently  urged  the 
necessity  of  immediate  assistance  being  sent  on  to 
"Wyoming.  He  pointed  out  the  defenseless  condition 
of  the  settlement,  most  of  the  effective  force  having 
been  drawn  away,  and  a  remorseless  horde  of  savages 
and  Tories  about  to  make  a  hostile  demonstration  upon 
them  from  the  north.  He  had  just  returned,  and  he 
used  his  influence  to  prevail  upon  the  companies  which 
had  assembled  in  the  fort  to  remain  there,  and,  if  need 
be,  to  defend  it  until  succor  should  be  sent  on  from 
the  army.  But  Captain  Stuart  threatened  to  withdraw 
his  company  if  the  commanding  officers  refused  to  go 
out  and  meet  the  enemy.  They  finally  resolved  to  go 
but  and  fight.  Stuart  and  his  party  were  confident  of 
success.  They  had  no  idea  of  the  odds  they  would  have 
to  contend  against,  but  were  phrensied  with  the  idea  of 
shooting  down  a  few  scattered  bands  of  Indians  and 
Tories.  Many  of  the  people  in  the  fort  were  not  at  all 
sensible  of  the  awful  hazards  of  the  movement. 

Dr.  Smith,  and  his  family  were  in  the  fort  at  Wilkes- 
barre.  A  short  time  before  the  battle  the  doctor  went 
to  his  house  above  the  town  to  get  some  provisions. 
He  undertook  to  boil  some  potatoes,  and,  as  he  was 
proceeding  with,  this  business,  he  imagined  that  some 
thing  like  a  blanket  was  thrown  over  his  head.  He 
supposed  it  to  be  a  warning  from  the  spirit  of  his  de 
parted  wife  of  some  approaching  evil.  He  looked  out 
of  the  window,  and  saw  several  Indians  standing  *  on 


206  WYOMING. 

the  top  of  the  hill,  looking  toward  the  house.  He 
went  out  at  the  back  door  and  ran  along  the  creek — 
Mill  Creek — until  he  came  to  the  river,  and  then  pro 
ceeded  on  the  beach,  under  cover  of  the  river  bank, 
and  so  reached  the  fort  in  safety. 

We  set  down  the  above  somewhat  singular  story 
without  advancing  any  theory  upon  which  it  is  to  be 
explained.  It  was  taken  from  the  lips  of  Mrs.  Bed 
ford,  and  must  be  altogether  authentic.  Dr.  Smith, 
during  his  latter  years,  was  known  to  be  somewhat 
skeptically  inclined.  The  idea  of  a  warning  from  the 
spirit  of  his  departed  wife  proves  that  at  the  time  he 
had  strong  convictions  of  the  existence  of  disembodied 
spirits.  Whether  the  serious  circumstances  by  which 
he  was  then  surrounded  for  the  time  dissipated  his 
doubts,  or  the  sense  of  personal  security  which  super 
vened  in  after  years  overcame  the  convictions  of  ear 
lier  life,  we  are  not  prepared  to  say.  * 

"  On  the  3d  of  July,  1778,"  says  Mrs.  Bedford,  "  our 
little  army  marched  from  Forty  Fort  to  meet  the  en 
emy.  Doctors  Smith  and  Gustin  went  out  mounted. 
When  our  men  turned  and  fled,  and  the  work  of 
slaughter  began,  the  doctors  ran  their  horses,  but  were 
hotly  pursued.  The  Indians  were  so  near  that  a  ball 
passed  through  Dr.  Gustin's  hat.  They  came  in,  and 
brought  us  the  sad  tidings  that  our  men  were  beaten, 
and  the  Indians  were  pursuing  them  through  the  woods. 
My  father,  although  a  Quaker,  believed  it  right  to  fight 
in  self-defense,  and  would  probably  have  been  in  the 
battle  had  it  not  been  necessary  for  him  to  stay  with 
the  women  and  children,  and  to  take  care  of  the  sick." 

After  the  flag  of  truce  had  been  sent  up,  and  while 
the  negotiations  for  the  capitulation  were  in  progress, 
a  barrel  of  liquor  which  was  in  the  fort  was  rolled 


MRS.  BEDFORD.  207 

down  the  bank  and  the  head  knocked  in,  that  it  might 
not  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Indians.  When  the  In 
dians  came  into  Mr.  Button's  cabin  they  marked  those 
present  as  prisoners  of  war,  and  then  proceeded  to 
plunder  them  of  their  goods.  Mr.  Sutton,  presuming 
too  hastily  that  they  would  be  left  with  the  clothing 
which  they  had  on,  put  on  his  wedding  suit — a  fine 
Quaker  suit.  Mrs.  Sutton,  a  little  more  shrewd,  left 
her  best  clothing  in  her  trunks,  and  covered  them  up 
with  rubbish,  and  so  saved  them  from  observation. 
The  first  "big  Indian"  that  came  along  after  Mr.  Sut 
ton  had  rigged  himself  up  in  his  best  stripped  him  of 
every  article  he  had  on  excepting  his  shirt.  How  that 
rascally  savage  looked  in  his  "  fine  Quaker  suit,"  with 
his  rifle,  bullet-pouch,  and  powder-horn,  and  a  string 
of  scalps  around  his  waist,  may  be  imagined.  It  was 
no  part  of  the  policy  of  the  Indians  to  have  things  in 
keeping  according  to  the  tastes  of  civilization. 

It  was  now  sufficiently  evident  that  there  was  no 
safety  for  the  settlers  under  the  articles  of  capitulation. 
Butler  left  the  Valley,  and  the  Indians  that  lingered 
behind  were  under  no  manner  of  restraint.  How  Mr. 
Sutton  was  to  dispose  of  his  family  was  a  question 
which  had  its  serious  difficulties.  The  youngest  child 
was  still  very  low,  while  Mrs.  Sutton  and  Deborah  were 
feeble,  and  the  idea  of  a  journey  through  the  swamp 
was  not  to  be  admitted  for  a  moment.  Mr.  Sutton's 
mechanical  skill  now  came  in  play.  He  and  Dr.  Gus- 
tin  set  themselves  at  work  to  build  a  boat.  They  took 
timber  and  boards  from  deserted  cabins,  and  drew  out 
old  nails  which  had  ceased  to  be  of  any  service  where 
they  were,  and  with  such  materials,  "in  nine  days" 
they  had  completed  and  launched  their  craft.  Trunks, 
boxes,  and  bundles  were  soon  deposited  in  the  boat, 


208  WYOMING. 

and  the  two  families,  fifteen  persons  all  told,  seated 
xipon  and  among  them.  The  ingenious  and  courage 
ous  navigators  pushed  off  from  the  shore,  and  com 
mitted  themselves  and  their  families  to  the  care  of  a 
gracious  Providence  upon  the  treacherous  current  of  a 
river  so  obstructed  by  rocks  and  rapids  as  to  be  scarce 
ly  navigable  in  low  water  except  by  canoes. 

Their  hastily -built  craft  had  been  calked,  but  no  tar 
or  pitch  could  be  obtained,  and,  consequently,  it  was 
found  to  leak  considerably.  They  hauled  up  for  re 
pairs,  or  "to  overhaul  her,"  at  Captain  Stuart's  place, 
in  Hanover.  The  females  went  into  the  deserted  man 
sion  and  took  refreshments,  while  the  men  proceeded 
to  "  stop  leaks."  Poor  Stuart  was  slain  in  the  battle, 
or,  as  has  been  reported,  tortured  the  day  following, 
and  his  house  was  left  desolate,  but  not  yet  consigned 
to  the  flames.  Mrs.  Bedford  says  that  up  to  the  time 
of  their  leaving  the  Valley  nothing  was  said  about 
the  houses  of  the  settlers  being  burned.  She  saw  no 
smoke  arising  from  burning  houses,  and  heard  no  men 
tion  of  it ;  but  when  she  returned  to  the  Valley  she 
learned  that  the  houses  of  the  settlement  had  been  con 
sumed  by  fire  soon  after  they  left. 

The  difficulties  which  were  overcome  and  the  haz 
ards  which  were  run  in  this  enterprise  can  now  scarce 
ly  be  estimated.  Their  craft  was  a  slight  flat-bottomed 
boat,  constructed  of  materials  not  designed  for  such  a 
purpose.  Upon  this  frail  vessel  all  the  luggage  which 
they  dared  venture  to  take  on  was  piled  up,  and  then 
fifteen  persons,  some  of  them  sick,  one  utterly  helpless, 
were  seated  among  the  luggage.  And  now  what  was 
before  them  ?  A  rapid,  crooked  river,  several  consid 
erable  falls,  at  best  of  dangerous  navigation,  and,  for 
aught  that  was  known,  many  miles  of  the  way  they 


MRS.  BEDFORD.  209 

would  be  exposed  to  the  merciless  savages.  It  re 
quired  courage  and  skill  of  no  ordinary  grade  to  exe 
cute  successfully  such  an  enterprise.  Mrs.  Bedford  pi 
ously  remarks,  "We  had  a  dangerous  passage  down 
the  river,  but  the  hand  of  Providence  preserved  us." 
"We  will  here  give  a  portion  of  her  narrative  in  her 
own  language. 

"Just  before  night  we  came  to  a  house  on  the  bank 
of  the  river,  where  we  were  kindly  received  and  fur 
nished  with  supper.  We  thought  to  have  remained 
here  for  the  night,  but,  fearing  the  Indians,  we  con 
cluded  to  trust  the  hand  of  Providence  for  a  safe  pas 
sage  through  the  Nescopeck  Falls,  at  dead  of  night, 
rather  than  run  the  risk  of  falling  into  the  hands  of 
the  savages.  We  arrived  safely  at  Northumberland 
the  next  morning.  That  day  we  learned  that  the  wom 
an  and  her  two  sons  at  the  house  where  we  took  our 
supper,  and  where  we  thought  to  remain  over  night, 
were  murdered  by  the  Indians.  Our  apprehensions  of 
danger  were  well  founded,  and,  had  we  remained  at 
that  place,  we  should  probably  all  have  been  either 
murdered  or  led  into  hopeless  bondage. 

"  From  Northumberland  we  went  on  to  Middletown, 
but  Dr.  Gustin  went  to  Carlisle,  where  he  entered  into 
practice.*  We  remained  in  Middletown  more  than 
two  years.  The  town  was  full  of '  Fleeters,'  as  we  were 
called,  and  provisions  were  extremely  scarce.  We 
could  procure  none  other  than  salt  provisions,  and  for 
them  we  had  to  pay  very  high  prices.  Learning  that 

*  An  infant  daughter  of  Dr.  Gustin,  who  constituted  one  of  the 
company  in  the  boat,  subsequently  became  the  wife  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Snowden,  a  Presbyterian  clergyman,  and  the  mother  of  lion.  James 
Boss  Snowden,  well  known  in  Pennsylvania  as  having  occupied  va- 
rious  important  and  responsible  public  positions. 


210  WYOMING. 

there  was  a  garrison  established  at  Wilkesbarre  for  the 
defense  of  such  of  the  inhabitants  as  wished  to  return 
to  their  possessions,  we  returned  to  the  Valley.  It  was 
not  without  great  sufferings  and  fatigue  that  we  final 
ly  reached  Wilkesbarre. 

"  Our  grist-mill  and  house  at  Exeter  were  burned  by 
the  Indians  and  Tories.  That  the  latter  had  a  hand  in 
the  matter  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  the  mill-irons 
from  both  the  grist-mill  and  saw-mill  were  all  carried 
off,  and  they  were  things  that  the  Indians  would  not 
take.  Our  house  in  Kingston  had  in  some  way  es 
caped  the  flames,  but  had  been  stripped  of  its  cover 
ing  by  our  men  to  build  barracks  with  in  "Wilkes 
barre.  We  consequently  had  no  materials  with  which 
to  build  us  a  house  to  live  in.  The  ingenuity  of  my 
father,  however,  was  equal  to  the  emergency.  He 
erected  a  frame,  and  filled  it  in  between  the  posts  with 
split  wood,  and  plastered  it  with  clay  mortar  on  each 
side ;  he  then  made  a  wash  of  white  clay,  and  washed 
it  over  with  a  brush,  and  gave  it  a  very  nice  finish. 
My  mother  prepared  some  coloring  matter,  and  orna 
mented  the  wall  quite  prettily.  The  house,  when  com 
pleted,  was  considered  as  really  a  fine  thing.  It  stood 
in  Wilkesbarre  just  above  the  fort,  on  ground  occupied 
subsequently  by  Arnold  Colt,  Esq.,  and  at  present  by 
Hon.  John  N.  Cunningham. 

"  There  was  now  no  mill  in  the  settlement.  The 
officers  and  men  in  the  garrison  had  flour  which  was 
brought  in  from  below,  but  the  people  of  the  settlement 
pounded  Indian  corn  in  a  hominy  block,  of  which 
they  made  bread  and  mush,  which  was  nutritious,  and 
not  disagreeable  food.  It  was,  however,  difficult  to 
procure  this  coarse  breadstuff  in  sufficiency  to  meet  the 
necessities  of  the  people.  The  pestle  was  in  motion 


MKS.  BEDFORD.  211 

night  and  day,  each,  one  who  came  taking  his  or  her 
turn. 

"  My  father  now  set  himself  at  work  to  meet  the 
pressing  wants  of  the  settlement  by  building  a  mill  on 
Mill  Creek,  near  the  river.  He  found  carpenters  among 
the  soldiers  who  assisted  him,  and  the  mill  was  soon 
put  up.  A  sentry-box  was  constructed  upon  the  top 
of  the  mill,  where  a  watch  was  kept  day  and  night, 
for  the  Indians  were  skulking  about,  plundering  all 
they  could  lay  their  hands  upon,  and  killing  all  who 
crossed  their  path.  The  mill  was  built  of  hewed  logs, 
and  was  on  land  belonging  to  Obadiah  Gore.  During 
the  Pennamite  and  Yankee  squabbles  it  was  seized  by 
a  certain  person  under  a  Pennsylvania  title.  My  fa 
ther  was  absent,  having  gone  up  the  river  for  personal 
safety ;  my  mother  went  up  to  the  mill,  and  ordered 
the  miller  to  clear  out,  informing  him  that  the  mill  was 
her  husband's  property,  and  that  she  would  have  a 
company  of  men  there  immediately  who  would  take 
him  into  custody.  Just  then  three  men  rode  up — one 
of  them  was  Dr.  Smith,  my  grandfather,  and  another 
was  William  Smith,  who  afterward  was  shot  by  the 
Pennamites — and  the  miller  took  the  alarm  and  left. 
The  mill  stood  and  did  good  service  to  the  settlement 
until  the  celebrated  pumpkin  flood,  when  it  was  car 
ried  away.* 

*  In  October,  1786,  a  great  flood  occurred  on  the  Susquehanna, 
which  was  the  occasion  of  an  immense  amount  of  damage.  The 
water  was  never  known  to  rise  so  high  except  on  the  occasion  of  the 
great  "ice  flood."  Mills,  houses,  barns,  and  stacks  of  hay  and  grain 
were  swept  away.  Horses  and  cattle,  pigs  and  poultry,  in  great 
numbers,  were  carried  down  the  current.  Corn-fields  were  clear 
ed  of  such  quantities  of  pumpkins  that  the  raging  current  was  com 
pletely  speckled  with  them ;  hence  the  name — the  "pumpkin  flood." 
Wilkesbarre  was  partially  inundated,  great  losses  were  sustained, 


212  WYOMING. 

"  The  settlers  returned  in  great  numbers,  but  such 
was  the  exposure  of  the  country  to  the  savages  at  a 
distance  from  the  fort  that  they  crowded  into  Wilkes- 
barre  until  they  were  uncomfortably  jammed  together. 
Mr.  Eos  well  Franklin,  a  brother  of  Colonel  John  Frank 
lin,  had  a  farm  upon  the  flats  below  "Wilkesbarre,  not 
far  from  the  fort.  His  wife  said  that  she  would  go 
on  to  their  farm  if  the  Indians  were  as  thick  as  the 
pine-trees.  She  carried  out  her  purpose,  but  it  cost 
her  her  life. 

"Her  daughter — a  young  woman — one  day  went 
to  the  spring  for  water,  and  was  gone  so  long  that  Mrs. 
Franklin  became  alarmed,  and  sent  some  of  the  small 
er  children  to  see  if  they  could  find  her.  They  soon 
came  running  back  in  a  great  fright,  informing  her 
that  their  sister  was  coming  with  a  company  of  In 
dians.  Mrs.  Franklin  had  been  confined  but  two  weeks 
before.  The  Indians  ordered  her  to  get  up  and  dress 
herself.  Difficult  as  was  the  task,  it  had  to  be  done. 
The  Indians  took  what  they  wanted,  and  set  off  with 
the  mother  and  her  children.  As  they  left,. she  saw 
an  Indian  take  a  shovelful  of  live  coals  from  the  fire 
and  place  it  between  two  beds.  The  prisoners  were 
taken  to  the  woods. 

"  Mr.  Franklin  was  plowing  upon  the  flats  between 
his  house  and  the  fort.  He  saw  his  house  in  flames, 
and,  judging  of  the  instruments  of  the  mischief,  un 
harnessed  one  of  his  horses,  and  rode  to  "Wilkesbarre 
upon  a  jump.  A  company  of  men  turned  out  and 
pursued  the  party,  overtaking  them  on  the  mount- 

and  great  suffering  during  the  following  winter  was  endured  by  the 
inhabitants  of  the  ill-starred  Valley  in  consequence  of  this  fearful 
flood.  It  is  a  wonder  that  not  more  than  one  or  two  lives  wero 
lost. 


MRS.  BEDFORD.  213 

am  this  side  of  Meshoppen.*  The  Indians  were  worst 
ed,  and  the  prisoners  brought  back,  excepting  Mrs. 
Franklin  and  her  infant  child. 

"  We  saw  people  gathered  on  the  outside  of  the 
fort,  and,  not  knowing  the  cause,  went  down  to  ascer 
tain  what  it  was,  and  there  we  saw  Miss  Franklin,  who 
related  to  us  the  whole  story.  She  said,  when  our 
people  came  so  near  as  to  fire,  they  called  on  the  pris 
oners  to  fall.  They  all  fell ;  but  her  mother  lifted  up 
her  head,  and  said,  '  Your  father  is  with  them.'  She 
said  to  her  mother,  '  Put  down  your  head ;  there  is  an 
Indian  coming  to  kill  you.'  He  fired,  and  she  breathed 
her  last.  After  the  first  shot,  our  people  called  to  the 
prisoners  to  come  to  them:  they  then  ran  to  them, 
and  the  Indians  which  remained  alive  fled  in  every 
direction.  Some  one  saw  an  Indian  put  Mrs.  Frank 
lin's  child  behind  a  log ;  but  they  must  have  removed 
it  to  another  place,  or  carried  it  off,  for  it  was  not  to 
be  found.  Miss  Franklin  said  that  when  the  Indians 
had  built  their  fire  at  night,  they  would  conduct  them 
selves  in  the  most  brutal  manner  to  the  child  and  the 
mother.  They  would  not  let  the  mother  nurse  the 
child,  and  would  often  pinch  the  poor  little  creature  to 
make  it  scream. 

"  Frederick  Follett,  at  the  time  of  the  battle,  was 
stabbed  nine  times,  and  scalped,  and  finally  recovered. 
Several  years  afterward  he  called  upon  Dr.  Smith  to 
assist  him  in  securing  a  pension.  They  made  an  ap 
pointment  to  meet  at  my  father's  house.  The  doctor 
examined  his  scars.  He  showed  us  where  he  was 
stabbed,  and  it  was  evident  enough  that  he  had  been 
scalped.  As  to  his  being  stabbed,  he  said  it  was  done 

*  According  to  others,  it  was  upon  the  Frenchtown  Mountain, 
above  Wyallusing. 


214:  WYOMING. 

by  different  Indians,  each  one  giving  him  a  stab  in 
passing.  He  endured  the  scalping  and  stabbing  with 
out  making  a  motion,  that  they  might  suppose  him 
dead.  When  he  was  scalped,  he  supposed  the  next 
thing  would  be  the  tomahawk;  but  the  attention  of 
the  Indian  who  did  the  deed  being  probably  drawn 
in  some  other  direction,  he  neglected  this  part  of  the 
operation.  Those  following  on,  supposing  the  work 
completed,  contented  themselves  with  piercing  what 
they  thought  a  dead  man  with  their  spears. 

"  A  Mr.  Corey,  who  had  lost  a  son  in  the  war,  once 
came  to  my  father's  house  some  years  afterward.  We 
had  been  informed  that  he  had  learned  the  circum 
stances  of  his  son's  death.  Upon  my  mother  request 
ing  him  to  tell  us  the  story,  he  said,  '  Mrs.  Sutton,  I 
will.'  He  then  said  that  when  the  roll  was  called  on 
the  morning  of  the  battle,  he  saw  his  son — a  boy  about 
fifteen  years  of  age — standing  in  the  ranks.  He  said, 
'  Silas,  go  back ;'  he  answered,  '  Father,  I  can  do  some 
thing.'  He  told  him  the  second  time  to  leave  the 
ranks,  and  he  went  out  of  his  sight.  When  they  came 
into  the  action  he  saw  his  son  by  his  side ;  it  was  then 
too  late  to  send  him  away.  This  was  the  last  he  saw 
of  him.  A  neighbor  of  his  was  taken  prisoner,  and 
subsequently  returned,  and  gave  him  a  description  of 
the  manner  in  which  the  boy  came  to  his  end.  He 
said  that  after  the  battle  some  prisoners  were  encamp 
ed  in  the  woods  with  the  Indians  and  Tories,  and  that 
one  of  the  Tories  told  the  Indians  that  this  boy  was  a 
captain  of  a  company  of  boys-  that  were  being  trained 
up  to  kill  them.  They  then  gathered  a  quantity  of 
pine  knots,  and  dug  a  hole  in  the  ground,  and  set 
therein  four  bayonets  with  the  points  upward.  They 
then  lifted  the  boy  up,  and  let  him  fall  down  on  the 


MRS.  BEDFORD.  215 

bayonets,  all  of  which  pierced  him,  two  just  below  his 
hips,  and  two  near  his  shoulder-blades.  They  then 
built  a  slow  fire  under  him  with  the  pine  knots,  and 
thus  tortured  him  until  near  daylight,  when  he  ex 
pired. 

"  The  witness  of  this  horrible  scene  said  that  the 
poor  fellow  uttered  the  most  heart-rending  cries,  but 
he  durst  not  show  the  least  emotion  upon  the  occasion, 
not  doubting  but  any  manifestation  of  sympathy  would 
subject  him  to  the  same  fate.  While  the  father  was 
giving  the  relation,  the  big  tears  rolled  from  his  eyes 
in  quick  succession.  The  whole  story,  and  the  man 
ner  of  the  old  gentleman,  are  all  now  perfectly  fresh  in 
my  recollection.  These  terrible  scenes  used  to  prey 
upon  my  thoughts,  and  harass  me  in  my  dreams,  un 
til  they  were  imbedded  in  my  very  nature." 

PENNAHITE  AND  YANKEE  WARS. 

The  scenes  of  the  last  Pennamite  and  Yankee  war 
which  Mrs.  Bedford  witnessed,  or  has  related  from  her 
immediate  family  connections,  are  given  pretty  much 
in  her  own  language,  and  contain  several  interesting 
incidents  which  are  not  in  the  histories,  and  which  we 
have  not  learned  from  any  other  source. 

"  The  wars  between  the  Pennsylvania  and  New  En 
gland  people  were  terrible.  Dr.  Smith  took  sides  with 
the  Yankees  in  the  first  struggle  before  the  war  with 
the  Indians.  I  remember  to  have  heard  it  said  that, 
when  Colonel  Plunkett  was  about  to  invade  the  settle 
ment,  the  doctor  harangued  the  people  eloquently. 
He  told  them  that  every  man  who  had  no  gun  or  sword 
must  make  swords  of  their  scythes,  and  every  boy  who 
could  lift  a  bush  must  be  on  hand.  The  spirit  of  the 
people  was  up;  men,  women,  and  children  were  all 


216  WYOMING. 

engaged  in  doing  something.  The  old  rusty  guns  and 
bayonets  were  scoured  up,  and  those  who  had  no  guns 
took  their  scythes  and  attached  them  to  poles,  with 
which,  in  a  close  encounter,  they  could  do  terrible  exe 
cution.  Others  seized  their  axes,  hoes,  picks,  crow 
bars,  and  whatever  they  had  which  would  serve  the 
purpose  of  defense,  or  be  useful  in  building  breast 
works.  My  father,  Quaker  as  he  was,  shouldered  his 
gun  among  the  rest.  They  took  their  position  at  the 
foot  of  the  valley,  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  and  when 
Plunkett,  with  his  men,  reached  the  head  of  Nanticoke 
Falls,  they  were  met  with  a  deadly  fire,  first  from  one 
side  and  then  from  the  other.  They  looked  up  the 
mountain  sides,  and  the  waving  boughs  of  hemlock, 
pine,  and  laurel,  and  the  fearful  yells  and  shouts  which 
echoed  from  mountain  top  to  mountain  top,  made  a 
terrible  impression  on  the  minds  of  the  assailants.  The 
woods  seemed  to  be  alive,  and  the  very  trees  in  motion. 
The  idea  that  thousands  of  the  'Green  Mountain 
Boys'  had  come  down  from  Vermont  and  New  Hamp 
shire  seized  the  mind  of  the  gallant  colonel  and  his 
men,  and  they  retreated  without  making  a  respectable 
effort  to  accomplish  their  object. 

"  After  the  Indian  troubles  began  to  abate,  this  un 
natural  war  was  resumed.  One  of  my  uncles  lived  in 
Forty  Fort,  and  kept  an  open  house  for  the  accommo 
dation  of  l  the  Yankee  Boys.'  I  kept  house  for  him, 
and  always  had  a  supply  of  bread,  meat,  milk,  and 
vegetables,  and  gave  them  free  access  to  the  pantry, 
where  they  would  help  themselves.  The  poor  fellows 
would  come  in  weary  and  hungry,  set  up  their  guns, 
and  rush  to  the  table  like  starving  wolves. 

"When  Armstrong  and  Patterson  came  on,  they 
commenced  a  series  of  efforts  to  drive  the  Yankees 


MRS.  BEDFORD.  217 

out  of  the  country.  One  of  their  schemes  was  to  bur 
den  the  settlers  with  their  men.  They  quartered  their 
soldiers  around  among  the  people,  and  gave  some  one 
of  them  charge  of  the  house.  Six  of  Armstrong's  men 
were  quartered  upon  us,  and  the  meanest  one  of  the  lot 
was  put  in  charge  of  the  house.  He  swelled  and 
swaggered,  and  gave  out  orders  with  the  authority  of 
an  absolute  monarch.  Mother  was  pleasant,  and  did 
the  best  for  them  she  could,  not  wishing  to  offend 
them.  Father  thought  he  would  leave  the  Valley, 
and  he  took  a  canoe  load  of  our  goods  up  to  Black 
Walnut,  intending  to  return  and  take  his  family,  but 
he  was  taken  sick  there,  and  we  heard  nothing  from 
him  for  near  six  months. 

"  Armstrong  had  a  very  bad  felon,  and  applied  to 
Dr.  Smith  for  medical  treatment.  The  doctor  told  him 
that  he  would  not  go  into  the  fort  to  attend  to  his  case, 
but  if  he  would  take  board  among  the  citizens  he 
would  do  what  he  could  for  him.  It  was  finally  ar 
ranged  that  he  should  meet  the  doctor  at  our  house. 
We  gave  him  all  the  comforts  which  the  house  afford 
ed,  and  his  felon  was  soon  cured.  When  the  Yankees 
were  all  ordered  off,  Armstrong  came  to  our  house 
and  said  to  my  mother,  'Mrs.  Sutton,  you  will  not 
like  to  go  with  the  rabble ;  you  may  stay  a  day  or  two, 
and  then  go  at  your  leisure.'  The  gallant  officer 
doubtless  thought  this  indulgence  an  ample  compensa 
tion  for  our  attentions  during  his  severe  afflictions. 
Mother  was  about  to  be  confined,  and  father  was  gone 
up  the  river,  and  she  told  him  she  could  not  go. 
'Oh,'  said  he,  'you  must  go,  but  we  will  make  it  as 
agreeable  for  you  as  possible.'  Soon  after  a  file  of 
armed  men  came  in  and  ordered  mother  to  clear  out. 
When  they  left  they  said  she  might  have  fifteen  miri- 

K 


218  WYOMING. 

utes  to  leave  in.  She  told  them  she  could  not  go  at 
all.  Soon  after  they  returned,  and  found  mother  lying 
on  a  bed  on  the  floor.  They  told  her  to  get  up  and 
be  off  immediately.  She  flung  the  clothing  off,  and, 
rising  up,  said,  '  Here  I  am,  take  my  life  as  soon  as 
you  please.'  A  ruffian  pointed  his  bayonet  at  her, 
and  swore  he  would  kill  her,  taking  a  step  toward  her 
as  though  he  would  execute  his  threat,  when  one  of 
them  stepped  up  and  turned  his  gun  away,  saying, 
'  Come  along,  and  let  the  woman  alone.' 

"  The  Yankees  were  on  Redoubt  Hill,  and  our  house 
was  in  range  between  that  point  and  the  fort,  and  they 
told  us  they  should  burn  all  the  houses  between  the 
fort  and  the  hill.  They  commenced  firing  the  houses, 
and  the  bullets  began  to  whistle  around  us.  We  then 
found  we  must  flee,  or  lose  our  lives  either  by~  the 
bullets  or  the  flames.  We  gathered  up  what  we  could 
carry  and  went  to  my  uncle  Bailey's — the  location 
now  occupied  by  Steele's  hotel.  Our  house  was  burn 
ed  and  all  there  was  left  in  it.  We  remained  at  my 
uncle's  undisturbed. 

"  When  father  returned  we  removed  across  the  riv 
er,  and  built  a  house  in  Forty  Fort.  Here  we  were 
during  the  conflict  between  Pickering  and  Franklin. 
When  the  people  were  called  together  to  vote  upon 
the  question  of  submitting  to  the  laws  of  Pennsylva 
nia,  my  father  was  appointed  moderator,  and  it  de 
volved  upon  him  to  receive  the  votes  and  report  the 
result.  The  Franklin  men,  beginning  to  doubt  their 
strength,  took  father  away,  and  carried  him  into  the 
woods.  A  general  melee  followed.  The  men  rushed 
into  the  thicket  and  cut  clubs :  it  was  an  awful  scene. 
The  young  hickories  bent  and  fell  before  the  great 
jack-knives  of  the  men,  and  the  heavy  green  clubs 


MRS.  BEDFOED.  219 

were  lifted  and  brandished  in  all  directions.  Father 
was  found  and  brought  back ;  and,  after  a  slight  brush, 
in  which  no  one  was  killed  or  very  seriously  injured, 
the  men  scattered  and  went  home.  Poor  Franklin 
came  along  with  his  face  bleeding  from  wounds  re 
ceived  in  the  squabble. 

"  This  was  the  winding-up  of  the  civil  wars  of  the 
famous  Valley  of  Wyoming.  Grievous  and  cruel  wars 
and  destructive  floods  desolated  this  lovely  spot  until 
many  were  driven  to  despair,  and  finally  abandoned 
the  place  and  settled  elsewhere.  Under  the  severe 
losses  and  untold  hardships  which  we  were  compelled 
to  endure  from  the  causes  which  I  have  endeavored 
to  describe,  we  had  passed  through  a  discipline  which 
had  its  favorable  influence  through  after-years.  We 
were  taught  the  vanity  and  uncertainty  of  all  human 
things,  and  had  received  many  lessons  in  relation  to 
God's  providential  dealings. 

"We  returned  to  our  place  in  Hartsift's  Hollow, 
and  remained  there  a  while.  Then  my  father,  in  con 
nection  with  Dr.  Smith,  built  a  forge  at  Lacka wanna ; 
but,  not  succeeding  as  he  desired  in  making  iron,  he 
returned  to  Exeter,  where  he  and  my  mother  both  fin 
ished  their  earthly  career. 

"  In  1788  I  became  interested  in  a  new  religious 
movement,  commenced  at  Eoss  Hill,  in  Kingston,  un 
der  the  labors  of  Anning  Owen.  Nearly  all  my  fa 
ther's  family  fell  under  the  same  influence,  and  from 
that  time  we  were  identified  with  the  Methodist  Epis 
copal  Church. 

"In  1799,  May  16th,  I  was  married  to  Jacob  Bed 
ford,  Esq.  He  died  August  23d,  1849.  I  am  now  in 
my  85th  year,  July  13th,  1857." 


220  WYOMING. 


YI. 

INCIDENTS  OF  THE  WARS  IN  THE  LACKAWANNA  POR 
TION  OF  THE  SETTLEMENT,  BELATED  BY  MRS. 
MARTHA  MARCY. 

THE  incidents  recorded  below  have  been  communi 
cated  to  us  by  the  venerable  JOSEPH  MARCY,  now — 
1858 — seventy-one  years  of  age.  He  is  the  only  sur 
viving  son  of  the  lady  upon  whose  authority  they  are 
now  transmitted. 

Ebenezer  Marcy  came  to  the  Valley  from  Fishkill, ' 
on  the  Hudson,  and  settled  upon  the  lands  now  owned 
by  his  grandchildren,  situated  below  the  Lackawanna 
bridge,  and  about  three  miles  above  the  village  of 
Pittston.  A  block-house  was  built  by  the  settlers  in 
1770  on  the  plain,  in  what  is  now  called  Upper  Pitts- 
ton.  After  the  Indian  troubles  had  subsided,  Mr. 
Marcy  took  possession  of  his  house,  which  by  some 
strange  providence  had  escaped  the  flames.  It  was 
"a  double  log  house,"  built  in  the  style  of  the  times, 
with  a  "back  wall,"  against  which,  during  the  cold 
season,  a  large  fire,  made  of  logs,  was  kept  burning 
day  and  night.  In  the  corner,  near  the  fire,  stood  that 
necessary  article  of  Yankee  furniture,  "the  dye-tub," 
in  which  the  "blue  stockings"  were  "dyed  in  the 
wool"  or  "in  the  yarn."  The  dye-tub  usually  consti 
tuted  a  seat  for  some  one,  and  it  was  upon  this  seat 
that  the  lad  Joseph  learned  his  lessons  in  the  history 
of  the  olden  time. 

When  Mrs.  Marcy  had  visitors  who  wished  to  hear 
about  the  Indians  and  the  Pennamites,  Joseph  would 


MRS.  MARCY.  221 

take  his  favorite  seat,  and  listen  with  all  the  ears  he 
had.  After  he  had  heard  the  stories  a  thousand  and 
one  times,  they  still  produced  the  same  excitement  in 
his  mind.  He  knew  what  was  coming  next,  yet  he 
listened,  and  gazed,  and  gaped  with  as  much  eagerness 
as  if  he  had  been  listening  to  the  romantic  tales  of  a 
new  novel.  Ah !  they  were  tales  of  the  sufferings  and 
adventures  of  his  father,  mother,  brothers,  and  sisters. 
These  stories  he  now  relates  with  the  greatest  particu 
larity,  and  seems  as  familiar  with  them  as  with  any 
portion  of  his  own  history. 

When  John  Butler  arrived  at  Sutton's,  he  sent  a 
scouting  party  down  the  river,  who  secured  all  the 
water-craft  belonging  to  the  Lackawanna  people,  and 
deposited  them  at  the  head  of  the  island.  The  settlers 
at  that  point  were  consequently  left  without  the  means 
of  crossing  the  Susquehanna,  and  this  is  the  reason 
why  several  able-bodied  and  brave  men  were  not  in 
the  battle,  but  were  with  their  families  in  the  fort  on 
that  fatal  day.  The  fort  consisted  of  a  block-house,  or 
probably  three  block-houses,  surrounded  by  pickets 
made  of  split  logs  set  in  the  ground  and  standing  eight 
feet  above  the  surface.  Here  the  families  who  had 
settled  on  the  Lackawanna,  near  its  confluence  with 
the  Susquehanna,  were  quartered  on  the  3d  of  July, 
1778.* 

Soon  after  the  tide  of  battle  had  turned  against  the 
patriots,  a  man  who  had  been  wounded  in  one  foot, 

*  The  following  "  Articles  of  Capitulation  for  three  Forts  at  Lacu- 
wanack,"  dated  "  July  4,  1778,"  are  published  by  Mr.  Miner: 

"  AKT.  1st.  That  the  different  commanders  of  the  said  forts  do  im 
mediately  deliver  them  up,  with  all  the  arms,  ammunition,  and  stores 
in  the  said  forts. 

"  ART.  2d.  Major  Butler  promises  that  the  lives  of  the  men,  wom 
en,  and  children  be  preserved  entire." 


222  WYOMING. 

and  liad  managed  to  swim  the  river,  brought  over  the 
sad  tidings  of  the  defeat  and  slaughter  of  the  little 
army.  After  a  few  words  upon  the  subject,  he  mount 
ed  a  horse  which  belonged  to  Mr.  Marcy,  and  laid  his 
course  across  the  mountains.  All  was  stir,  alarm,  and 
confusion  in  the  fort.  The  darkness  of  night  came  on, 
but  not  to  hide  from  the  eyes  of  the  Lackawanna  peo 
ple  the  horrors  of  the  scene  which  was  being  enacted 
on  the  west  side  of  the  Susquehanna.  They  saw  across 
the  river  the  Indians  making  preparations  for  their 
fiendish  orgies.  They  kindled  fires,  and  filled  the  air 
with  their  terrible  yells.  At  length  two  prisoners 
were  brought  up.  One  was  tied  to  a  tree  in  a  sitting 
posture,  with  his  hands  and  feet  bound  to  stakes  driven 
in  the  ground,  and  a  train  of  pine  knots  laid,  extend 
ing  some  twelve  feet,  and  terminating  at  his  bowels. 
The  farther  end  of  the  train  was  fired,  and  then  the 
Indians  commenced  dancing  around  the  poor  creature, 
while  the  flame  gradually  approached  him,  and  he  was 
filled  with  the  most  indescribable  horror  at  its  prog 
ress.  Splinters  of  pine  knots  were  stuck  into  the  flesh 
of  the  other  and  set  on  fire.  The  poor  victims  of  sav 
age  cruelty  shrieked,  and  called  on  God  for  help. 
Their  wailings  and  the  unearthly  yells  of  the  savages 
mingled  together,  and  were  wafted  by  the  breeze  across 
the  plains,  and  echoed  back  from  the  hills.  That  was 
an  awful  night  for  the  Lackawanna  people.  What 
would  be  their  fate  they  could  not  foresee,  but  imme 
diate  flight  was  impossible.  The  best  they  could  do 
was  to  throw  themselves  upon  the  mercy  of  the  con 
querors. 

The  morning  came,  and  they  raised  a  sheet  upon  a 
pole  on  the  river  bank.  The  uflag  of  truce"  was  dis 
covered,  and  several  British  officers,  attended  by  a 


MRS.  MARCY.  225 

posse  of  Indians,  came  over  and  demolished  the  pick 
ets  around  the  block-house,  and  the  Indians  painted 
the  prisoners.  The  people  had  hid  their  provisions  in 
secret  places ;  their  flour  and  meal  were  concealed  in 
hollow  logs,  and  their  meat  was  buried  in  the  ground. 
A  wretched  old  squaw  soon  came  over,  having  seven 
teen  scalps  strung  on  a  stick.  She  spoke  broken  En 
glish,  and  talked  of  being  "dreadful  tired,"  having,  as 
she  said,  "  been  out  all  night  scalping  the  Yankees"  A 
plan  was  soon  set  on  foot  still  further  to  torture  the 
feelings  of  the  prisoners.  An  old  mare  belonging  to 
Mr.  Marcy  was  brought  up,  and  Mrs.  Marcy's  side-sad 
dle  placed  upon  her  back,  with  the  hind  part  before, 
and  the  crupper  tied  in  the  mane.  The  squaw  was 
then  seated  upon  the  saddle  astride,  a  looking-glass 
being  held  in  one  hand  and  the  string  of  scalps  in  the 
other.  In  this  plight  the  animal  was  led  by  one  In 
dian  and  driven  by  another  back  and  forth  before  the 
fort,  while  the  Indians  hooted  and  laughed,  and  other 
wise  insulted  the  prisoners.  There  were  men  there 
who,  if  their  wives  and  children  had  not  been  in  the 
power  of  the  savages,  and  they  had  had  in  hand  their 
trusty  rifles,  would  have  sent  a  ball  through  the  heart 
of  the  old  limb  of  Satan,  and  run  the  hazard  of  dying 
the  next  moment.  But,  grinding  their  teeth,  they 
smothered  their  wrath  as  well  as  they  could. 

Parties  of  the  enemy  went  and  collected  the  horses 
and  cattle,  and  turned  them  into  the  fields  of  grain ; 
this  saved  them  the  necessity  of  destroying  the  crops 
by  other  and  more  laborious  means.  The  officers  or 
dered  the  prisoners  to  milk  the  cows  and  bring  in  the 
milk  for  their  use.  It  was  soon  found  that,  without  a 
resort  to  some  stratagem  to  save  a  portion  of  the  milk, 
the  children  in  the  fort  must  starve;  then  the  cows 
K2 


226  WYOMING. 

were  left  but  half  milked,  and  the  operation  was  finish 
ed  under  cover  of  the  night. 

At  evening  the  Indians  made  large  fires  of  the  pick 
ets,*  and  lay  down  before  them,  and  soon  fell  into  a 
dead  sleep.  This  was  the  tune  for  the  prisoners  to 
take  their  meal.  The  men  stole  away  and  finished 
milking  the  cows,  while  the  women  proceeded  to  bake 
their  johnny  cakes.  The  milk  brought  in  and  the 
cakes  baked,  the  prisoners  proceeded  to  take  the  only 
meal  which  they  had  the  privilege  of  enjoying  during 
the  twenty -four  hours.  All  this  process  of  cooking  and 
eating  had  to  be  conducted  with  the  utmost  silence 
and  care.  The  prisoners  were  not  cared  for  at  all  by 
the  British  officers,  and  could  only  furnish  themselves 
and  their  helpless  children  with  food,  and  avoid  utter 
starvation,  by  stealth.  Were  not  these  British  and 
Tories  magnanimous  conquerors  ? 

Ori  one  occasion  the  prisoners  were  left  by  them 
selves,"  and  the  wife  of  Zebulon  Marcy  resolved  upon 
trying  to  bake  a  loaf  of  light  bread.  Just  as  her  loaf 
was  well  done,  it  was  announced  that  "an  Indian  was 
coming."  The  loaf  was  rolled  in  a  towel,  and  hid  in 
the  foot  of  the  bed.  The  Indian  came  in,  and,  snuffing 
and  looking  about,  he  said,  "  Me  want  bread."  One  of 
the  women  replied,  "We  have  none."  Continuing  his 
snuffing,  he  said,  "  Ah !  me  smell  'em ;"  and,  going  di 
rectly  to  the  place  where  the  loaf  was  deposited,  he 
took  it  out.  Mrs.  Marcy  cried,  "You  sha'n't  have  that 
bread :  I  want  it  to  keep  the  children  from  starving ;" 
and,  springing  forward,  she  seized  the  stolen  loaf  by 
one  end,  and  in  the  contest  it  was  broken  in  two,  she 
retaining  her  half,  while  the  Indian  seemed  satisfied 
with  his  portion.  Well,  thought  the  brave  lady,  "  Half 
a  loaf  is  better  than  no  bread,"  and  so  it  was. 


MRS.  MARCY.  227 

Butler  and  his  men  left  the  Yalley  a  few  days  after 
the  battle,  but  parties  of  Indians  were  prowling  about, 
plundering  property,  and  burning  the  houses  of  the 
settlers  as  opportunity  served  and  their  feelings  in 
clined  them.  About  two  weeks  after  the  battle  an 
Indian  came  to  the  fort  and  said,  "Wild  Indians  come 
soon :  kill  Yankee  and  eat  'em."  The  settlers  had  grad 
ually  disappeared,  and  few  besides  the  family  of  Eb- 
enezer  Marcy  were  left.  Mrs.  Marcy  was  in  a  delicate 
state  of  health,  and,  besides,  was  lame  in  her  feet  from 
rheumatism;  but  there  seemed  no  alternative:  she 
must  undertake  the  journey  across  the  mountains  on 
foot. 

Mr.  Marcy's  family  consisted  of  himself,  his  wife,  and 
five  small  children,  the  oldest  a  girl  of  eleven  years 
of  age.  There  was  but  one  other  individual  in  the 
company,  and  that  was  an  old  lady  still  more  of  a  crip 
ple  than  Mrs.  Marcy.  •  The  exigencies  of  the  journey 
would  necessarily  require  covering  at  night,  and  hence 
the  necessity  of  taking  along  blankets.  Mr.  Marcy 
was  the  only  individual  in  the  company  who  could 
carry  any  burden.  He  made  a  large  bundle,  in  which 
he  had  carefully  stowed  away  a  family  Bible,  which 
Mr.  Joseph  Marcy  has  now  in  his  possession,  and  pre 
serves  as  a  precious  relic.  It  contains  the  family  rec 
ords,  and  settles  some  facts  of  public  interest.  All  be 
ing  ready,  Mr.  Marcy  shouldered  his  burden,  and  or 
dered  all  hands  to  move  on. 

The  little  company  commenced  their  perilous  and 
doubtful  journey  probably  on  the  20th  of  July.  Their 
course  lay  through  Jacob's  Plains,  up  Laurel  Eun  to 
the  path  from  Wilkesbarre-  to  Stroudsburg,  which  they 
fell  into  on  the  mountain.  They  had  nearly  exhaust 
ed  their  provisions,  and  had  to  be  put  on  short  allow7 


228  WYOMING. 

ance.  They  fed  themselves  mostly  on  the  twigs  of 
sassafras  bushes,  roots,  and  berries.  Mrs.  Marcy  had  a 
cane  in  one  hand  and  a  spikenard  root  in  the  other, 
and  would  frequently  take  a  little  of  the  root  in  her 
mouth  and  chew  it,  swallowing  the  juice,  making  it 
serve,  as  she  ever  after  maintained  that  it  did,  the 
double  purpose  of  food  and  medicine.  On  the  even 
ing  of  the  22d  of  July,  "on.  the  Tobyhanna  Hill,"  Mrs. 
Marcy  was  taken  ill,  and  Mr.  Marcy  left  her  and  the 
old  lady,  while  he  went  forward  a  short  Distance  with 
the  children,  and  deposited  them  in  the  bushes.  He 
then  returned,  and  soon  he  was  the  father  of  another 
child.  The  new-comer  was  a  daughter,  and  was  wel 
comed  and  provided  for  as  well  as  the  circumstances 
would  admit.  Early  in  the  morning  Mrs.  Marcy  arose, 
and  set  off  upon  her  journey  with  good  courage,  and, 
for  her,  at  a  brisk  pace.  The  little  piece  of  humanity 
which  had  been  sent  to  them  in  the  mountain  was 
added  to  Mr.  Marcy's  burden,  and  that  day  they  trav 
eled  the  astonishing  distance  of  sixteen  miles,  which 
brought  them  to  Captain  Spaulding's  encampment. 
The  captain  kindly  sent  on  two  soldiers,  each  having 
a  horse,  to  help  on  Mr.  Marcy  and  his  family  as  far  as 
the  Delaware. 

•  When  they  came  to  "Dingman's  Ferry,"  they  asked 
for  lodging,  but  were  told  in  reply,  by  the  good  man 
of  the  house,  that  "  the  Wyoming  people  had  eaten 
him  out  of  house  and  home,"  and  he  could  not  keep 
them.  Mrs.  Marcy  sat  on  a  log  before  the  door  nurs 
ing  her  baby.  "How  old  is  that  child?"  asked  the 
man.  "  Not  quite  two  days,"  was  the  answer.  "  Good 
woman,"  said  he,  "you  look  tired;  you  ought  not  to 
go  any  farther,  but  I  can  not  keep  you."  Then  tak 
ing  from  a  shelf  a  loaf  of  bread,  he  gave  them  "  the 


MES.  MARCY.  229 

half  of  a  slice  apiece,"  and  said,  "About  two  miles 
aliead  you  can  get  entertainment."  They  moved  on, 
and  found  hospitality  in  the  house  of  a  farmer. 

In  the  evening  a  man  drove  briskly  by  in  the  di 
rection  of  the  Delaware.  It  was  a  man  whom  Mr. 
Jonathan  Spencer — Mrs.  Marcy's  father — had  sent  on 
to  meet  Mr.  Marcy  and  his  family.  The  man,  learning 
at  the  ferry  that  he  had  passed  the  company,  returned 
the  next  morning,  and  now  the  severest  of  the  labors 
and  trials  of  the  pilgrims  were  ended.  Eight  days  after 
the  birth  of  her  child  Mrs.  Marcy  reached  her  father's 
house,  near  Fishkill,  in  much  better  condition,  both 
physically  and  mentally,  than  could  have  been  expected. 

Mrs.  Marcy  "  was  very  tired,"  and  took  her  bed ; 
but  how  long  may  it  be  supposed  that  she  kept  it? 
A  month  or  two,  with  good  nursing  and  skillful  med 
ical  aid?  No,  indeed;  it  was  only  "for  the  greater 
part  of  the  next  day."  The  condition  of  her  children 
brought  her  to  her  feet  again  after  a  few  hours  of  rest. 
"When  they  left  the  Valley  their  clothes  were  "  mend 
ed  up  and  were  comfortable,"  but  the  long  journey 
through  the  wilderness,  often  penetrating  the  thick 
brush  and  briers  in  quest  of  berries  to  save  them  from 
absolute  starvation,  reduced  their  garments  to  shreds 
and  tatters.  Mrs.  Marcy's  old  friends  and  neighbors 
made  large  contributions  in  "old  clothing,"  and  "the 
girls"  came  in  and  helped  her  sew,  and  "in  about  a 
week"  the  little  folks  were  all  "  decently  clad." 

The  little  "woods  girl,"  as  she  was  called,  was  an 
object  of  no  little  curiosity.  Mrs.  Marcy  "felt  thank 
ful  to  God  for  her  strange  preservation  and  that  of  her 
infant,  and  for  the  deliverance  of  herself  and  family 
from  the  tomahawk  and  scalping-knife ;  and,  in  accord 
ance  with  her  feelings,  she  called  her  girl  Thankful." 


230  WYOMING. 

The  child  lived  to  the  age  of  seventeen,  and  then  died 
with  measles. 

The  Marcjs  were  among  the  persecuted  Yankees 
during  the  Pennamite  and  Yankee  wars.  Mrs.  Marcy 
used  to  tell  a  ludicrous  story  of  some  of  Armstrong's 
men,  who  came  up  to  Lacka wanna  in  the  way  of  ful 
filling  their  mission.  They  seemed  to  be  hard  pressed 
for  provisions.  They  found  "  an  old  sow  with  a  litter 
of  young  pigs  ;"  they  butchered  and  devoured  the 
whole  family.  Not  yet  satisfied,  or  desiring  something 
in  the  line  of  poultry  and  eggs,  they  took  "  an  old  hen 
that  had  been  setting  seven  days,"  and  they  cooked 
and  devoured  the  hen  and  her  stock  of  eggs.  There 
must  have  been  a  little  touch  of  the  savage  in  these 
zealous  votaries  of  the  land-jobbers  of  Pennsylvania. 

At  the  time  Armstrong  was  disarming  the  Yankee 
settlers,  two  of  his  officers  visited  Lackawanna,  and, 
entering  Mr.  Marcy's  house,  inquired  for  arms.  There 
were  seven  guns  in  the  house,  which  they  proposed  to 
disable  by  taking  off  the  locks.  Mrs.  Marcy  remon 
strated  against  their  proceedings,  informing  them  that 
"  the  men  folks"  were  not  at  home,  and  declaring  that 
it  was  not  handsome  for  them  to  take  advantage  of  the 
circumstances.  At  that  moment  young  John  Carey, 
one  of  her  boarders,  came  in.  Seizing  his  rifle,  he 
cocked  it,  and,  pointing  the  muzzle  toward  the  unwel 
come  visitors,  he  said,  with  a  firm  tone,  "  Stop  your 
work,  or  you  will  have  what  there  is  in  my  rifle." 
The  rifle  was  not  loaded,  but  the  threat  was  enough. 
The  gallant  subalterns  turned  about  and  left.  The 
arms  which  were  thus  saved  from  being  made  useless 
subsequently  did  good  service  in  the  Yankee  cause. 

Mrs.  Marcy  outlived  her  husband,  and  finally  died 
full  of  years  and  much  respected. 


MRS.  SYLVIA  SEYBOLT.  231 


YII. 

MRS.  SYLVIA  SEYBOLT'S  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  BATTLE 
AND  FLIGHT. 

[Taken  from  the  Presbyterian.'] 

MRS.  SYLVIA  SEYBOLT,  who  now  resides  with  her 
son-in-law,  Joshua  Mullock,  Esq.,  of  Mount  Hope, 
Orange  County,  New  York,  was  one  of  the  occupants 
of  Forty  Fort  at  the  time  of  the  massacre.  She  was 
then  fourteen  years  old,  making  her  now  eighty-seven. 
In  the  spring  of  1775,  her  father,  Jedediah  Stephens, 
with  his  family,  consisting  of  five  sons,  five  daughters, 
and  two  sons-in-law,  removed  from  Canaan,  Connecti 
cut,  and  settled  in  the  Valley  of  the  Susquehanna. 
Here  he  prospered  abundantly  for  a  little  more  than 
three  years,  when  this  beautiful  vale  was  laid  waste. 

During  the  progress  of  the  Eevolution,  the  boys  re 
siding  in  the  Valley  of  the  age  of  sixteen  and  under 
had  voluntarily  formed  themselves  into  a  military 
company,  and  had  elected  from  their  own  number 
William  Mason  for  their  captain,  and  for  lieutenant, 
Kufus  Stephens,  a  brother  of  Mrs.  Seybolt.  These 
heroic  boys  formed  part  of  that  ill-fated  band  that  left 
the  fort  under  Colonel  Zebulon  Butler,  and  fell  a  prey 
to  Tory  and  Indian  barbarity.  While  the  battle  was 
raging,  an  Indian,  pleased  with  the  appearance  of  Ma 
son,  took  him  under  his  protection,  intending  to  save 
his  life ;  but,  being  afterward  told  by  a  Tory  that  he 
was  captain  of  a  rebel  company,  the  Indians  kindled 
a  fire,  and,  with  fiendish  delight,  placed  him  on  it,  and 
held  him  there  with  their  bavonets  until  life  was  ex- 


232  WYOMING. 

tinct.  Lieutenant  Stephens  was  found  dead,  his  body 
being  literally  covered  with  bullet  and  tomahawk 
wounds. 

An  older  brother,  Jedediah  Stephens,  was  among 
the  few  who  escaped.  While  running  toward  the 
river,  two  Indians  sprang  suddenly  out  of  the  bushes 
and  fired  upon  him,  one  bullet  passing  through  his 
clothes  between  his  side  and  arm.  One  of  the  In 
dians  then  commenced  reloading  his  gun,  while  the 
other  gave  full  chase.  The  latter  soon  overtook  and 
attempted  to  seize  him,  but  Stephens,  eluding  his 
grasp,  felled  him  by  a  blow  with  the  breech  of  his 
gun,  and  struck  him  a  second  blow  after  his  fall,  which 
doubtless  killed  him.  He  soon  reached  the  river  and 
plunged  in ;  here  he  was  again  fired  at,  and  again  es 
caped  unhurt.  He  swam  across  the  river,  and  secreted 
himself  under  the  boughs  of  a  tree  that  had  fallen  into 
the  water.  In  this  shelter  he  remained  until  after 
dark,  when  he  recrossed  the  river  and  entered  the  fort. 

The  next  day  after  the  surrender  of  the  fort,  an  In 
dian,  with  a  large  knife  in  his  hand,  came  up  to  Ste 
phens,  and.  taking  hold  of  him,  says  to  him,  "  White 
brother,  in  the  battle  yesterday  you  killed  my  brother, 
now  me  kill  you."  Stephens  denied,  at  the  same  time 
saying,  "We  are  all  good  brothers  now."  The  Indian 
then  examined  him  thoroughly  to  see  if  he  was  not 
wounded ;  but,  with  all  his  thirst  for  vengeance,  he  fail 
ed  to  recognize  him  as  the  slayer  of  his  brother,  say 
ing  as  he  let  him  go,  "  Well,  me  don't  know ;  he  look 
like  him." 

While  the  plundering  was  in  progress,  Mrs.  Sey- 
bolt  saw  an  Indian  break  open  her  sister's  trunk,  in 
which  he  found  a  bottle  of  camphor.  He  took  it  up, 
and,  smelling  of  it,  asked  if  it  was  poison.  The  owner 


MRS.  SYLVIA  SEYBOLT.  233 

replied  that  it  was  not ;  he  then  made  her  taste  it, 
after  which  he  drank  it  off,  and  went  and  lay  down  by 
the  river.  The  doctor  was  soon  informed  of  the  cir 
cumstance,  and,  on  examining  him,  pronounced  him  in 
a  dying  state. 

Five  days  after  the  massacre  the  survivors  were  or 
dered  to  leave  the  valley.  They  all  set  out  on  foot 
across  the  Great  Swamp,  in  which  they  lay  during 
two  nights ;  on  the  third  they  arrived  at  Stroudsburg, 
near  the  Delaware.  In  this  company  was  a  sister  of 
Mrs.  Seybolt,  with  a  child  only  two  weeks  old.  From 
Stroudsburg  they  proceeded  to  the  Hudson,  near 
Newburg,  where  they  obtained  a  conveyance  as  far  as 
Sharon,  Connecticut,  in  wagons  employed  in  carrying 
provisions  to  the  American  army.  From  Sharon  they 
again  traveled  on  foot  until  they  reached  their  former 
homes. 

The  incidents  related  above  I  received  from  the  lips 
of  Mrs.  Seybolt  a  few  days  since,  and  as  every  thing 
connected  with  the  Eevolution  is  filled  with  interest,  I 
hope  they  may  prove  acceptable  to  your  readers.  Al 
though  there  is  here  and  there  a  survivor  of  the  Eev 
olution,  yet  we  must  soon  cease  to  hear  these  thrilling 
tales  from  the  lips  of  those  who  were  participants  or 
eye-witnesses.  May  we  prize  as  we  should  the  pre 
cious  boon  of  liberty  which  cost  our  forefathers  so 
much  suffering. — W.  F.  M. 


284  WYOMING. 


VIII. 

THE  CAPTIVE  GIRL,  FRANCES  SLOCUM. 

MAKING  captives,  particularly  of  children,  and 
adopting  them  as  their  own,  is  one  of  the  laws  of  In 
dian  warfare.  Usually  the  little  captive  is  adopted  by 
a  mother  who  has  lost  a  child.  If  a  son  falls  in  battle, 
or  a  daughter  perishes  by  hunger  or  fatigue,  or  dies  by 
disease,  the  vacancy,  if  possible,  is  supplied  by  some 
pale-faced  prisoner,  who  is  imagined  to  bear  some  dis 
tant  resemblance  to  the  lost  one.  An  attachment  form 
ed  in  the  mind  of  a  savage  female  for  a  beautiful  child 
which  she  had  been  accustomed  to  fondle  in  time  of 
peace,  has  led  to  the  capture  of  the  coveted  object  when 
war  has  broken  out.  But  it  is  probable  that  the  main 
ground  of  this  species  of  plunder  is  a  part  of  the  system 
of  cruel  vengeance  with  which  the  savage  heart  delights 
to  glut  itself  for  real  or  supposed  wrongs.  The  unedu 
cated  minds  of  the  Indians  enter  into  no  analysis  of  civ 
il  society,  distinguishing  between  the  innocent  and  the 
guilty,  but  lay  to  the  charge  of  the  whites  in  general 
all  the  wrongs  which  they  may  have  received  at  the 
hands  of  individuals,  and  often,  by  the  mode  of  redress 
here  referred  to,  strike  the  innocent — even  break  the 
hearts  of  unoffending  mothers.  The  savage  mind  con 
demns  in  the  gross ;  and  for  robberies  and  murders  in 
flicted  on  them  by  lawless  banditti,  heartless  specula 
tors,  or  oppressive  governmental  expatriation,  they 
hold  the  white  race,  generally  and  singularly,  respon 
sible.  Hence  they  take  sweet  vengeance  upon  all 


FRANCES  SLOCUM.  235 

white  individuals  or  communities,  as  occasion  offers, 
for  their  numerous  and  grievous  wrongs. 

When  a  boy  in  our  native  town,  near  "  the  sources 
of  the  Susquehanna,"  in  the  State  of  New  York,  we 
knew  a  young  man  who  was  with  the  Indians  from  the 
commencement  to  the  close  of  the  Kevolutionary  war. 
He  was  the  son  of  our  father's  next-door  neighbor,  and 
we  were  a  close  observer  of  his  manners  and  habits, 
seeing  him  every  day,  and  often  spending  hours,  and 
even  days,  in  his  company.  "We  often  listened  to  his 
romantic  story  at  our  father's  fireside,  both  from  him 
and  from  his  old  mother. 

Daniel  M'Allum — ordinarily  called  Dan  M'Allum, 
and  Indian  Dan — was  stolen  when  he  was  two  years 
and  a  half  old  from  the  head  of  Eed  Creek,  Middle- 
field.  Before  the  commencement  of  hostilities  be 
tween  the  parent  government  and  the  colonies,  an  old 
squaw  was  in  the  habit  of  coming  from  an  Indian  camp 
in  the  swamp,  which  lay  hard  by,  and  spending  hours 
with  "  Aunt  Molly  M'Allum,"  and  caressing  little  Dan, 
showing  him  her  trinkets,  and  allowing  him  to  play 
with  them.  When  the  war  broke  out,  the  savage 
woman  set  her  heart  on  making  the  child  a  prize.  She 
was  hid  in  the  brush  for  days,  waiting  for  an  opportuni 
ty  to  effect  her  object.  At  length  the  little  fellow  was 
taken  by  his  father  to  "the  sugar-bush"  in  the  month 
of  March,  and  becoming  weary,  and  wishing  to  go  to 
his  mother,  he  was  put  into  the  path  to  return  alone  to 
the  house,  which  was  only  a  few  rods  distant.  The 
squaw  slid  from  her  hiding-place,  seized  her  prey,  and 
bore  him  away.  The  mother  was  at  ease  until  near 
night,  when  her  husband  came  in,  and,  to  their  great 
consternation,  it  was  discovered  that  the  child  was  spir 
ited  away,  and  the  agency  by  which  he  had  disappear- 


236  WYOMING. 

eel  was  shrewdly  suspected.  It  might  be  that  a  wild 
beast  had  devoured  him,  but  it  was  deemed  more  prob 
able  that  he  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  Indians. 
The  woods  were  scoured,  and  the  cry  for  help  sent 
through  the  settlements,  but  all  in  vain.  The  Mo 
hawks,  and  with  them  the  squaw  with  her  prize,  had 
fled  to  the  north,  and  the  child  was  given  up  for  lost. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  a  stout-  lad  and  a 
perfect  Indian.  When  the  prisoners  were  required  to 
be  given  up,  Dan  said  his  old  "Indian  mother  cried 
bitterly ;"  but  there  was  no  evading  the  requisition  of 
the  British  authorities,  and  she  made  her  preparations 
for  the  separation.  She  filled  a  little  bag  with  parched 
corn  and  dried  venison,  and,  putting  it  in  his  hand, 
she  went  with  him  near  to  the  place  where  the  prison 
ers  were  rendezvoused — either  on  the  Mohawk  Eiver 
or  at  Cherry  Valley,  we  are  not  certain  which — and, 
pointing  him  out  the  way, "she  flung  her  blanket  over 
her  head,  and  turned  about  and  ran.  He  paused,  look 
ed  after  her,  and  his  heart  almost  came  into  his  mouth. 
He  maintained  that  no  one  could  have  felt  deeper  sor 
row  at  burying  his  own  mother.  He  could  not  endure 
the  separation,  and  set  off  at  full  speed  after  her.  She, 
however,  managed  to  elude  him,  and  he  was  found  by 
some  one  in  the  path,  giving  boisterous  vent  to  his 
sorrow,  and  was  taken  to  the  depot  of  the  prisoners, 
where  his  father  found  him  and  bore  him  to  his 
mother. 

And  now  another  trial  awaited  the  poor  boy.  The 
usages  of  civilization  were  like  the  chains  of  slavery  to 
him.  To  wear  pants  and  jacket,  and  sleep  upon  a  bed, 
and  to  eat  bread,  and  salt  meat  cooked  in  an  iron  pan 
— all  this  was  so  strange — every  thing  so  unnatural, 
that  he  sighed  and  cried,  and  said  a  thousand  times 


FKANCES  SLOCUM.  237 

over,  "Oh  that  I  was  again  in  the  wild  woods,  chas 
ing  the  deer  and  the  bear,  and  enjoying  the  luxury  of 
sleeping  upon  the  ground,  under  a  blanket,  with  my 
feet  before  a  great  warm  fire  I" 

"Dan  M'Allum,"  so  long  as  we  knew  him,  which 
was  until  we  entered  our  eighteenth  year,  exhibited 
strong  traits  of  Indian  character.  He  was  fond  of  hunt 
ing,  loved  rum,  would  have  his  Indian  pow-wows,  and, 
when  under  the  influence  of  the  intoxicating  draught, 
his  Indian  whoop  rang  through  the  neighborhood,  but 
excited  no  terror.  Dan  was  not  quarrelsome  when 
sober,  and  when  intoxicated  he  had  neither  the  power 
nor  tact  of  a  warrior  or  a  bully.  When  so  drunk  that 
he  could  not  stand,  he  would  ride  his  horse  upon  a 
run  perfectly  erect,  and  scarcely  ever  fell  from  his 
horse's  back.  Often  have  we  heard  the  poor  fellow 
say,  apparently  from  the  bottom  of  his  heart,  "I  wish 
to  God  I  had  never  left  the  Indians,  for  I  was  a  good 
Indian,  but  I  shall  never  make  a  white  man."  He 
finally  married  and  settled,  and  his  character  became 
much  modified  by  the  kindly  influences  of  home,  and 
the  independence  and  associations  gathering  round  the 
husband  and  the  father.  When  he  was  no  longer  re 
garded  as  "a  fool,"  "an  Indian  booby,"  and  the  like, 
his  manhood  developed,  and  he  became  a  respectable- 
citizen  ;  but  the  process  of  transformation  was  slow  and 
painful. 

A  curious  fact  in  this  case  was  that  the  poor  Indian 
captive  seemed  not  to  have  much  affection  for  his  real 
mother.  He  never  made  a  secret  of  the  fact  that  he 
loved  his  "  Indian  mother"  the  best.  He  declared  that 
the  moment  in  which  she  tore  herself  from  him  was 
the  most  sorrowful  moment  of  his  life,  and  her  tears, 
sobs,  and  wild  shrieks,  as  she  ran  away,  were  the  very 


238  WYOMING. 

sorest  of  his  remembrances.  Such  is  habit,  such  edu 
cation,  such  the  impressions  of  childhood.  How  per 
fectly  imbedded  in  the  human  heart  is  the  image  of 
that  being  whose  watchful  care  and  sympathies  are  as 
sociated  with  our  earliest  recollections,  although  it  be 
the  image  of  a  wild  savage  woman ! 

Dan  M'Allum  is  not  the  hero  of  our  story,  but  a 
specimen  of  a  class,  the  whole  of  which  constitute  a 
series  of  illustrations  of  the  principles  of  savage  life, 
and  specimens  of  human  nature  in  its  vast  general 
ization.  The  more  particular  relations  of  his  Indian 
life  we  simply  recollect  were  curious  and  interesting, 
but  the  details  are  not  now  sufficiently  clear  in  our 
mind  for  record,  and,  with  the  brief  notice  of  his  case 
which  we  have  taken,  we  shall  dismiss  it,  and  proceed 
to  another  case  characterized  by  a  different  class  of  cir 
cumstances  and  a  different  sequel. 

Among  the  enterprising  emigrants  from  the  east  to 
the  famous  Valley  of  Wyoming  was  a  member  of  the 
society  of  Friends  by  the  name  of  Jonathan  Slocum. 
The  place  of  his  previous  residence  was  Warwick, 
Ehode  Island.  He  emigrated  in  1777,  with  his  wife 
and  nine  children.  The  road  through  the  swamp  had 
now  been  so  far  improved  as  to  allow,  although  with 
great  difficulty,  wagons  to  pass.  Mr.  Slocum  removed 
with  his  family  and  effects  in  a.  large  covered  wagon. 
He  located  himself  near  the  fort,  on  lands  a  portion  of 
which  is  now  in  possession  of  the  family,  within  the 
present  borough  of  Wilkesbarre,  near  the  public 
square.  Mr.  Slocum,  being  from  principle  a  noncom- 
batant,  considered  himself  and  his  family  comparative 
ly  free  from  danger  from  the  attacks  of  the  savages. 
His  son  Giles,  not  practicing  upon  the  principles  in 


FKANCES  SLOCUM.  239 

which  he  had  been  trained  at  home,  took  up  arms  with 
the  settlers  in  defense  of  their  hearths  and  homes 
against  the  anticipated  attacks  of  the  Indians  and  To 
ries.  He  was  in  the  famous  Indian  battle  in  1778, 
and  it  is  supposed  that  this  circumstance  was  the  occa 
sion  of  the  terrible  vengeance  taken  upon  the  family. 
The  battle  had  taken  place  in  July,  and  thenceforward, 
until  the  conclusion  of  peace  with  England,  parties  of 
Indians  continued  to  visit  the  Yalley  to  steal,  make 
prisoners,  kill,  and  scalp,  as  opportunity  offered. 

On  the  second  day  of  November  of  this  year,  a  party 
of  Delaware  Indians  visited  Wyoming,  and  directed 
their  way  to  Mr.  Slocum's  residence.  Nathan  Kings- 
ley  had  been  made  prisoner  by  the  Indians,  and  his 
wife  and  two  sons  were  taken  in  by  Mr.  Slocum,  and 
afforded  the  protection  and  comforts  of  a  home.  When 
the  Indians  came  near,  they  saw  the  two  Kingsley  boys 
grinding  a  knife  before  the  door.  The  elder  of  the  lads 
was  dressed  in  a  soldier's  coat,  which,  it  is  presumed, 
was  the  special  reason  of  his  being  marked  as  a  victim. 
One  of  the  savages  took  deadly  aim  at  this  young  man, 
and  he  fell.  The  discharge  of  the  gun  alarmed  Mrs. 
Slocum,  and  she  ran  to  the  door,  when  she  saw  the  In 
dian  scalping  the  young  man  with  the  knife  which  he 
had  been  grinding.  She  secreted  herself  until  she  saw 
a  stalwart  Indian  lay  hold  of  her  son  Ebenezer,  a  little 
lad,  who,  by  an  injury  in  one  of  his  feet,  had  been  made 
lame.  The  idea  that  the  little  fellow  would  fail  to 
keep  up  with  the  party,  and  would  be  cruelly  butch 
ered,  rushed  with  such  force  upon  the  mind  of  the 
mother  that  she  forgot  all  considerations  of  personal 
safety,  and,  running  up  to  the  Indian,  and  pointing 
at  the  foot  of  the  boy,  she  exclaimed,  "  The  child  is 
lame ;  he  can  do  thee  no  good."  Little  Frances,  about 


2-iO  WYOMING. 

five  years  old,  liad  hid,  as  she  supposed,  under  the 
stairs,  but  had  been  discovered  by  the  Indians.  The 
savage  dropped  the  boy  and  seized  the  little  girl,  and 
took  her  up  in  his  arms.  All  the  entreaties  of  the 
mother  in  this  case  were  treated  with  savage  scorn. 
The  oldest  daughter  ran  away  with  her  youngest 
brother,  about  two  years  old,  with  such  speed  and  in 
such  affright  that  the  savages,  after  yelling  hideously 
at  her,  roared  out  laughing.  They  took  the  remaining 
Kingsley  boy  and  a  colored  girl,  and  away  they  went, 
little  Frances  screaming  to  "  mamma"  for  help,  hold 
ing  the  locks  of  hair  from  her  eyes  with  one  hand,  and 
stretching  out  the  other. 

There  were  three  Indians  in  the  gang,  and  each 
having  a  prisoner,  they  fled  to  the  mountain.  An 
alarm  was  given  at  the  fort,  which  was  not  more  than 
a  hundred  rods  from  Mr.  Slocum's  house,  but  the  wily 
savages  escaped  with  such  celerity,  and  hid  themselves 
so  securely,  that  no  traces  of  them  could  be  found. 
That  was  a  gloomy  evening  in  the  Slocum  family. 
Mr.  Slocum  was  from  home  when  the  descent  upon 
his  peaceful  dwelling  was  made  by  the  ruthless  sav 
ages.  He  returned  to  see  the  gory  corpse  of  young 
Kingsley,  and  to  find  Mrs.  Slocum  writhing  in  agony 
on  account  of  poor  little  Frances,  who  was  in  the 
hands  of  a  band  of  Indians,  whom  her  phrensied  imag 
ination  pictured  out  as  so  many  demons  just  let  loose 
from  Tophet.  Mr.  Slocum  was  petrified  with  horror ; 
but  the  deep  current  of  his  grief,  with  characteristic 
self-control,  was  not  allowed  to  break  over  all  its  natu 
ral  barriers.  Sobs  and  broken  sentences  gave  charac 
ter  to  the  scene  around  that  desolate  hearth.  Sleep 
fled  from  that  family  circle.  The  last  look  at  the  in 
nocent  little  creature,  with  outstretched  hands,  and 


FRANCES  SLOCUM.  243 

streaming  eyes,  and  disheveled  locks,  and  her  shrieks 
of  "mamma!  mamma!"  haunted  their  imaginations 
like  ghosts  of  darkness.  And  then  the  question,  which 
no  human  reason  could  solve,  was,  "  What  would  be 
come  of  the  child?"  Would  she  be  cruelly  murdered? 
or  would  she  be  worn  out  with  fatigue  ?  or  would  she 
suffer  a  lingering  death  from  want  of  comfortable  food 
and  clothing?  Any  supposition  which  was  at  all 
probable  seemed  worse  than  death.  The  heart-strick 
en  family  passed  a  little  more  than  a  month  in  sad 
ness  and  gloom,  not  then  to  find  relief  to  their  aching 
hearts,  but  to  feel  another  blow  from  savage  hands  still 
more  terrible. 

The  venerable  historian  of  Wyoming,  Hon.  Charles 
Miner,  says :  "  The  cup  of  vengeance  was  not  yet  full. 
December  16th,  Mr.  Slocum  and  Isaac  Tripp,  Esq.,  his 
father-in-law,  an  aged  man,  with  William  Slocum,  a 
youth  of  nineteen  or  twenty,  were  feeding  cattle  from 
a  stack  in  the  meadow,  in  sight  of  the  fort,  when  they 
were  fired  upon  by  Indians.  Mr.  Slocum  was  shot 
dead ;  Mr.  Tripp  wounded,  speared,  and  tomahawked ; 
both  were  scalped.  William,  wounded  by  a  spent  ball 
in  the  heel,  escaped  and  gave  the  alarm,  but  the  alert 
and  wily  foe  had  retreated  to  his  hiding-place  in  the 
mountain.  This  deed,  bold  as  it  was  cruel,  was  per 
petrated  within  the  town  plot,  in  the  centre  of  which 
the  fortress  was  located.  Thus,  in  little  more  than  a 
month,  Mrs.  Slocum  had  lost  a  beloved  child,  carried 
into  captivity;  the  doorway  had  been  drenched  in 
blood  by  the  murder  of  an  inmate  of  the  family ;  two 
others  of  the  household  had  been  taken  away  prison 
ers  ;  and  now  her  husband  and  father  were  both  strick 
en  down  to  the  grave,  murdered  and  mangled  by  the 
merciless  Indians.  Verily,  the  annals  of  Indian  atroc- 


244  WYOMING. 

ities,  written  in  blood,  record  few  instances  of  desola 
tion  and  woe  to  equal  this." 

The  husband  and  the  father  were  dead,  and  their  ash 
es  reposed  beneath  the  green  turf.  Time  gradually  mod 
ified  the  poignancy  of  the  widow's  grief,  occasioned  by 
the  cruel  death  of  her  loved  husband  and  venerated  fa 
ther;  but  Frances,  poor  child !  she  knew  not  where  she 
was.  Suspense  more  terrible  than  death  hung  over  her 
fate.  The  lapse  of  time  only  increased  the  vividness  of 
the  traces  of  memory  relating  to  the  minutest  circum 
stances  connected,  nearly  or  remotely,  with  the  sad  trag 
edy  of  her  capture.  The  mother  called  up  all  the  little 
griefs  and  disappointments  which  family  discipline  had 
inflicted  upon  her  dear  child.  One  circumstance  dis 
tressed  her  almost  incurably.  Frances  had  a  pair  of 
new  shoes,  and,  as  a  matter  of  economy,  she  had  been 
required  to  lay  them  up  for  colder  weather.  She  went 
away  with  bare  feet,  and  in  that  condition  would  doubt 
less  be  obliged  to  travel  rough  roads,  and  perhaps 
through  the  frost  and  snow  to  make  long  journeys. 
"Oh!  if  the  poor  little  creature  only  had  her  shoes!" 
The  little  shoes  were  a  source  of  torture  to  the  soul  of 
the  bereaved  mother  for  long  and  weary  years. 

Time  passed,  and  Mrs.  Slocum's  sons  had  become 
prosperous  business  men ;  and  peace  having  been  con 
cluded  with  Great  Britain,  and  every  effort  made  upon 
the  part  of  Congress  to  conciliate  the  Indian  tribes,  the 
young  men  began  to  meditate  serious  efforts  to  recover 
their  sister,  or,  at  least,  to  ascertain  her  fate.  In  1784, 
two  of  the  brothers  visited  Niagara,  and  made  inqui 
ries  of  the  Indians,  and  offered  them  liberal  rewards 
if  they  would  give  any  information  concerning  their 
sister.  Their  mission  was  without  the  least  shadow  of 
success,  no  trace  of  the  lost  one  having  been  discover- 


FRANCES   SLOCUM.  245 

ed.  They  returned,  after  an  absence  of  several  weeks, 
with  the  impression  that  Frances  was  dead.  They 
thought  it  almost  impossible  that  the  secret  should  be 
kept  if  Frances  were  above  ground,  especially  as  a  re 
ward  had  been  offered  for  the  information  which  would 
be  exceedingly  tempting  to  the  cupidity  of  the  Indians. 
They  did  not  consider  that,  when  an  Indian  undertakes 
to  keep  a  secret,  nothing  can  break  the  seal  of  his  lips, 
nor  especially  the  criminality  and  disgrace  of  betray 
ing  to  white  men  secrets  confided  by  Indians.  Little 
Frances  was  extensively  known  among  the  Canadian 
and  Western  Indians,  but  she  was  now  a  treasure  which 
Indians  felt  a  common  interest  in  concealing. 

Four  years  subsequently  the  Slocums  were  011  a 
search  among  the  Western  Indians  for  several  months, 
Indian  agents  .and  traders  giving  them  every  facility 
in  their  researches,  and  again  offering  the  large  reward 
of  five  hundred  dollars  for  any  information  with  regard 
to  their  sister's  whereabouts,  but  all  to  no  purpose. 

In  1789,  when  a  large  number  of  Indians  assembled 
at  Tioga  Point  to  make  a  treaty  with  Colonel  Proctor, 
and  a  large  number  of  prisoners  were  brought  in  to  be 
surrendered  to  their  friends,  Mrs.  Slocum  made  a  jour 
ney,  with  great  labor,  to  the  place,  and,  after  weeks  of 
examination  among  the  prisoners,  found  no  one  she 
could  own  as  Frances. 

Still  the  bereaved  mother  entertained  the  idea  that 
her  child  was  alive,  and  might,  after  all,  be  found.  The 
zeal  of  the  brothers  in  the  search  did  not  decline  with 
the  lapse  of  years,  and  the  four  brothers  undertook  an 
other  expedition  in  1797,  and  were  traveling  in  the 
western  wilderness,  among  the  Indian  settlements,  for 
nearly  the  whole  summer.  They  conversed  with  the 
Indians — offered,  as  they  had  done  before,  the  reward 


246  WYOMING. 

of  five  hundred  dollars  for  any  information  with  regard 
to  their  sister:  they  found  captives  and  examined 
them,  but  Frances  they  neither  found  nor  heard  from. 

A  female  captive,  hearing  of  the  efforts  made  by  the 
Slocums  to  recover  their  lost  one,  and  hoping  that  she 
might  be  recognized  as  the  real  Frances,  came  to  Mrs. 
Slocum,  and  told  her  that  she  was  taken  prisoner  some 
where  on  the  Susquehanna  when  a  child,  and  she  was 
anxious  to  find  her  friends.  She  knew  not  the  name 
of  her  father,  she  knew  not  her  own  name,  but  she  had 
come  to  see  if  she,  Mrs.  Slocum,  was  not  her  real  moth 
er.  Mrs.  Slocum  saw  at  once  that  it  was  not  Frances, 
but  bade  her  welcome.  "Stay  with  me,"  said  Mrs. 
Slocum,  "  as  long  as  thee  pleases ;  perhaps  some  one 
else  may  extend  the  like  kindness  to  my  dear  Fran 
ces."  The  poor  stranger,  after  a  few  months,  finding 
herself  regarded  as  a  mere  object  of  charity,  without 
the  sympathies  and  attachments  of  natural  relation 
ship,  left,  and  the  Slocums  heard  no  more  of  her. 

Mrs.  Slocum  went  down  to  the  grave  without  find 
ing  the  least  trace  of  her  lost  one,  but  left  with  her 
sons  a  charge  never  to  give  up  the  search  so  long  as 
the  possibility  remained  of  their  recovering  their  sis 
ter,  or  their  learning  the  circumstances  of  her  story  or 
her  fate.  Mrs.  Slocum's  death  occurred  in  1807. 

When  the  mission  among  the  "Wyandots  became  a 
matter  of  public  interest,  and  the  chiefs  Between-the- 
Logs  and  Menuncu  were  converted,  the  report  that 
Between-the-Logs  had  a  white  woman  for  his  wife,  the 
idea  of  the  possibility  of  her  being  the  lost  Frances 
Slocum  induced  Mr.  Joseph  Slocum,  attended  by  a 
nephew,  to  visit  the  mission.  In  1826  they  made  a 
weary  and  expensive  journey  to  Upper  Sandusky,  and 
found  the  woman,  but  were  convinced  that  she  was 


FRANCES  SLOCUM.  247 

not  Frances.  They  were  treated  with  great  hospitality 
and  kindness,  and  received  strong  impressions  with  re 
gard  to  the  influence  of  Christianity  upon  the  moral 
character  and  social  condition  of  the  Wyandot  Indians. 
Hope  had  been  fondly  cherished  in  the  mind  of  the 
Slocums  of  some  light  upon  the  history  or  fate  of 
Frances  for  many  long  years,  but  all  efforts  to  gain  in 
formation  with  regard  to  her  having  utterly  failed, 
they  began  to  despair.  They  had  spent  time  and 
money ;  they  had  performed  long  and  perilous  jour 
neys  ;  they  had  enlisted  Indian  agents  and  traders  in 
the  object,  but  not  the  slightest  trace,  as  yet,  had  been 
found  of  the  little  captive.  The  last  they  knew  of  her 
was  that  she  was  borne  away  by  a  stout  Indian,  who 
disappeared  among  the  trees  and  shrubs,  while  the 
shrieks  of  the  child  died  away  in  the  distance.  From 
that  moment  an  impenetrable  cloud  of  darkness  had 
enshrouded  her  story,  which  all  efforts  had  failed  to 
penetrate.  The  probability  of  the  removal  of  the  veil 
of  mystery  from  the  subject  was  now  becoming  so  ex 
ceedingly  faint,  if  it  had  not,  indeed,  wholly  passed 
away,  that  the  search  was  given  over,  and  the  subject 
ceased  to  be  matter  of  conversation,  excepting  as  the 
capture  of  the  child,  and  the  great  efforts  which  had 
been  made  for  her  discovery,  were  connected  with 
the  history  of  the  classic  vale.  This  was  the  con 
dition  of  things  when  a  new  scene  opens  to  our  vis 
ion,  apparently  by  accident,  but  really  under  the  guid 
ing  hand  of  Providence.  A  train  of  circumstances 
brought  to  light  the  whereabouts  of  the  long-lost 
FKANCES  SLOCUM. 


248  WYOMING. 

THE   DISCOVERY  OF  FRANCES. 

Colonel  Ewing,  a  gentleman  connected  with  the 
public  service  among  the  Indians,  having  acquired 
the  language  in  use  among  the  Western  tribes,  and 
having  business  with  these  tribes,  made  frequent  jour 
neys  through  the  wilderness  and  among  the  Indian 
settlements.  On  one  of  these  journeys  he  happened 
to  be  benighted  near  what  was  called  "The  Deaf 
Man's  Village,"  on  the  Missisinewa,  a  branch  of 
the  Wabash.  He  asked  for  and  received  the  hospi 
talities  of  a  respectable  Indian  dwelling.  The  mis 
tress  of  the  house  was  a  venerable  and  respectable- 
looking  Indian  woman,  to  whom  great  deference  was 
paid  by  the  whole  family  circle,  composed  of  children 
and  grandchildren.  Colonel  Ewing  was  weary  and 
rather  indisposed,  and,  after  taking  some  refreshments, 
he  laid  himself  down  to  rest  upon  some  skins  in  a  cor 
ner  of  the  room.  The  family  disappeared,  with  the 
exception  of  the  venerable  head  of  the  circle,  and  she 
lingered,  being  busy  with  some  of  her  small  arrange 
ments  for  the  night.  The  colonel's  attention  was  at 
tracted  by  the  color  of  her  skin  and  hair,  and,  shrewdly 
suspecting  that  she  was  a  white  woman,  he  commenced 
conversation  with  her.  She  said  she  was  a  white  wom 
an,  and  was  carried  into  captivity  by  the  Indians 
when  a  child,  and  her  father's  name  was  SLOCUM.  She 
had  never  revealed  her  history  before,  for  fear  that  her 
white  relations  might  come  and  take  her  away.  But 
she  was  now  old,  and  should  not  stay  much  longer; 
and  she  was  willing,  if  any  of  them  were  alive,  that 
they  should  know  where  she  was. 

The  colonel,  presuming  that  the  information  which 
had  been  communicated  to  him  might  be  of  great  im- 


FRANCES  SLOCUM.  249 

portance  to  persons  still  living,  concluded  to  take  meas 
ures  to  make  the  matter  public.  He  accordingly  ad 
dressed  the  following  letter  to  the  postmaster  of  the 
city  of  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania : 

"Logansport,  Indiana,  January  20,  1835. 

"DEAR  SIR, — In  the  hope  that  some  good  may  re 
sult  from  it,  I  have  taken  this  means  of  giving  to  your 
fellow-citizens — say  the  descendants  of  the  early  set 
tlers  of  the  Susquehanna — the  following  information ; 
and  if  there  be  any  now  living  whose  name  is  Slocum, 
to  them,  I  hope,  the  following  may  be  communicated 
through  the  public  prints  of  your  place. 

"There  is  now  living  near  this  place,  among  the 
Miami  tribe  of  Indians,  an  aged  white  woman,  who  a 
few  days  ago  told  me,  while  I  lodged  in  the  camp  one 
night,  that  she  was  taken  away  from  her  father's  house, 
on  or  near  the  Susquehanna  Kiver,  when  she  was 
very  young — say  from  five  to  eight  years  old,  as  she 
thinks — by  the  Delaware  Indians,  who  were  then  hos 
tile  toward  the  whites.  She  says  her  father's  name  was 
Slocum ;  that  he  was  a  Quaker,  rather  small  in  stature, 
and  wore  a  large-brimmed  hat ;  was  of  sandy  hair  and 
light  complexion,  and  much  freckled;  that  he  lived 
about  half  a  mile  from  a  town  where  there  was  a  fort ; 
that  they  lived  in  a  wooden  house  of  two  stories  high, 
and  had  a  spring  near  the  house.  She  says  three  Dela- 
wares  came  to  the  house  in  the  daytime,  when  all  were 
absent  but  herself,  and  perhaps  two  other  children: 
her  father  and  brothers  were  absent  making  hay.  The 
Indians  carried  her  .off,  and  she  was  adopted  into  a 
family  of  Delawares,  who  raised  her  and  treated  her  as 
their  own  child.  They  died  about  forty  years  ago, 
£omewhere  in  Ohio.  She  was  then  married  to  a  Mi- 
L2 


250  WYOMING. 

ami,  by  whom  she  had  four  children ;  two  of  them  are 
now  living — they  are  both  daughters — and  she  lives 
with  them.  Her  husband  is  dead;  she  is  old  and 
feeble,  and  thinks  she  will  not  live  long. 

"  These  considerations  induced  her  to  give  the  pres 
ent  history  of  herself,  which  she  would  never  do  be 
fore,  fearing  that  her  kindred  would  come  and  force 
her  away.  She  has  lived  long  and  happy  as  an  In 
dian,  and,  but  for  her  color,  would  not  be  suspected  of 
being  any  thing  else  than  such.  She  is  very  respect 
able  and  wealthy,  sober  and  honest.  Her  name  is 
without  reproach.  She  says  her  father  had  a  large 
family,  say  eight  children  in  all — six  older  than  her 
self,  one  younger,  as  well  as  she  can  recollect ;  and  she 
doubts  not  there  are  yet  living  many  of  their  descend 
ants,  but  seems  to  think  that  all  her  brothers  and  sis 
ters  must  be  dead,  as  she  is  very  old  herself,  not  far 
from  the  age  of  eighty.  She  thinks  she  was  taken 
prisoner  before  the  two  last  wars,  which  must  mean 
the  Kevolutionary  war,  as  Wayne's  war  and  the  late 
war  have  been  since  that  one.  She  has  entirely  lost 
her  mother  tongue,  and  speaks  only  in  Indian,  which 
I  also  understand,  and  she  gave  me  a  full  history  of 
herself. 

"  Her  own  Christian  name  she  has  forgotten,  but  says 
her  father's  name  was  Slocum,  and  he  was  a  Quaker. 
She  also  recollects  that  it  was  upon  the  Susquehanna 
Eiver  that  they  lived,  but  don't  recollect  the  name  of 
the  town  near  which  they  lived.  I  have  thought  that 
from  this  letter  you  might  cause  something  to  be  in 
serted  in  the  newspapers  of  your  country  that  might 
possibly  catch  the  eye  of  some  of  the  descendants  of 
the  Slocum  family,  who  have  knowledge  of  a  girl  hav 
ing  been  carried  off  by  the  Indians  some  seventy  years 


FRANCES   SLOCLJM.  251 

ago.  This  they  might  know  from  family  tradition. 
If  so,  and  they  will  come  here,  I  will  carry  them  where 
they  may  see  the  object  of  my  letter  alive  and  happy, 
though  old  and  far  advanced  in  life. 

"  I  can  form  no  idea  whereabout  upon  the  Susque- 
hanna  Eiver  this  family  could  have  lived  at  that  early 
period,  namely,  about  the  time  of  the  Eevolutionary 
war,  but  perhaps  you  can  ascertain  more  about  it.  If 
so,  I  hope  you  will  interest  yourself,  and,  if  possible, 
let  her  brothers  and  sisters,  if  any  be  alive — if  not,  their 
children — know  where  they  may  once  more  see  a  rela 
tive  whose  fate  has  been  wrapped  in  mystery  for  seven 
ty  years,  and  for  whom  her  bereaved  and  afflicted  pa 
rents  doubtless  shed  many  a  bitter  tear.  They  have 
long  since  found  their  graves,  though  their  lost  child 
they  never  found.  I  have  been  much  affected  with 
the  disclosure,  and  hope  the  surviving  friends  may  ob 
tain,  through  your  goodness,  the  information  I  desire 
for  them.  If  I  can  be  of  any  service  to  them,  they 
may  command  me.  In  the  mean  time,  I  hope  you  will 
excuse  me  for  the  freedom  I  have  taken  with  you,  a 
total  stranger,  and  believe  me  to  be,  sir,  with  much  re 
spect,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  GEO.  W.  EWING." 

The  letter  reached  its  destination,  but  the  post 
master,  considering  it  a  hoax,  flung  it  by,  and  for  two 
years  it  lay  among  a  quantity  of  old  letters  and  papers 
in  the  office  which  were  deemed  worthless.  There 
was  a  providence  in  the  discovery  of  the  lost  one,  and 
will  that  providence,  which  was  concerned  in  the  first 
development,  allow  the  light  to  die  out,  and  the  whole 
matter  to  be  hid  from  the  vision  of  those  so  deeply  in 
terested  in  the  revelation  ?  We  shall  see.  The  post- 


252  WYOMING. 

master  died,  and,  for  some  reason — possibly  mere  curi 
osity — his  wife  overhauled  the  mass  of  old  papers  be 
longing  to  the  office,  among  which  she  found  and  read 
Colonel  Ewing's  letter.  She  was  more  confiding  than 
her  husband  in  the  truthfulness  of  the  tale,  and  she 
sent  the  letter  to  the  editor  of  the  Intelligencer,  by 
whom  it  was  published.  Here  providence  seems  to 
have  again  interfered,  and  saved  the  letter  from  final 
oblivion.  Another  interesting  fact  worthy  of  special 
attention  is,  that  the  letter  came  to  hand  just  in  time 
to  make  its  appearance  in  an  extra  number  contain 
ing  some  temperance  documents,  and  these  were  sent 
to  the  clergymen  generally  through  that  part  of  the 
state.  One  of  these  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Eev. 
Samuel  Bowman,  a  native  of  Wilkesbarre,  and  inti 
mately  acquainted  with  the  Slocum  family.  He  had 
from  his  childhood  been  accustomed  to  hear  the  mel 
ancholy  story  of  the  captivity  of  little  Frances  Slocum, 
and  well  knew  the  efforts  which  the  brothers  had  made 
to  find  her.  He  immediately  mailed  one  of  these 
papers  to  her  brother,  who  lived  in  Wilkesbarre,  and 
the  wonderful  development  which  the  letter  contained 
flung  the  whole  community  into  a  state  of  excitement. 
There  was  no  father  or  mother  living  to  say  "  Frances 
is  yet  alive,  and  I  will  go  and  see  her  before  I  die," 
but  there  were  brothers,  a  sister,  and  a  large  circle  of 
nephews  and  nieces,  whose  hearts  leaped  for  joy  at 
the  prospect  of  at  least  learning  the  veritable  history 
of  Frances,  who  had  been  for  sixty  years  in  savage  life, 
but  utterly  lost  to  her  kindred  and  friends. 

A  correspondence  ensued  between  Jonathan  J.  Slo 
cum,  Esq.,  son  of  Mr.  Joseph  Slocum,  and  Colonel 
Ewing,  which  speaks  for  itself,  and  here  follows : 


FRANCES  SLOCUM.  258 

"  Wilkcsbarre,  Penn.,  August  8,  1837. 

"  GEORGE  W.  EWTNG,  Esq. : 

"DEAR  SIR, — At  the  suggestion  of  my  father  and 
other  relations,  I  have  taken  the  liberty  to  write  to  you, 
although  an  entire  stranger. 

"  We  have  received,  but  a  few  days  since,  a  letter 
written  by  you  to  a  gentleman  in  Lancaster,  of  this 
state,  upon  a  subject  of  deep  and  intense  interest  to 
our  family.  How  the  matter  should  have  lain  so  long 
wrapped  in  obscurity  we  can  not  conceive.  An  aunt 
of  mine — sister  of  my  father — was  taken  away  when 
five  years  old  by  the  Indians,  and  since  then  we  have 
only  had  vague  and  indistinct  rumors  upon  the  sub 
ject.  Your  letter  we  deem  to  have  entirely  revealed 
the  whole  matter,  and  set  every  thing  at  rest.  The 
description  is  so  perfect,  and  the  incidents  (with  the 
exception  of  her  age)  so  correct,  that  we  feel  confident. 

"  Steps  will  be  taken  immediately  to  investigate  the 
matter,  and  we  will  endeavor  to  do  all  in  our  power  to 
restore  a  lost  relative  who  has  been  sixty  years  in  In 
dian  bondage. 

"  Your  friend  and  obedient  servant, 

"  JON.  J.  SLOCUM." 

"Logansport,  Indiana,  August  26,  "1837. 

"  JON.  J.  SLOCUM,  Esq.,  "Wilkesbarre : 
"  DEAR  SIR, — I  have  the  pleasure  of  acknowledging 
the  receipt  of  your  letter  of  the  8th  instant,  and  in  an 
swer  can  add,  that  the  female  I  spoke  of  in  January, 
1835,  is  still  alive ;  nor  can  I  for  a  moment  doubt  but 
that  she  is  the  identical  relative  that  has  been  so  long 
lost  to  your  family. 

"  I  feel  much  gratified  to  think  that  I  have  been  thus 
instrumental  in  disclosing  to  yourself  and  friends  such 


254  WYOMING. 

facts  in  relation  to  her  as  will  enable  you  to  visit  her 
and  satisfy  yourselves  more  fully.  She  recovered 
from  the  temporary  illness  by  which  she  was  afflicted 
about  the  time  I  spent  the  night  with  her  in  January, 
1835,  and  which  was,  no  doubt,  the  cause  that  induced 
her  to  speak  so  freely  of  her  early  captivity. 

"  Although  she  is  now,  by  long  habit,  an  Indian, 
and  her  manners  and  customs  precisely  theirs,  yet  she 
will  doubtless  be  happy  to  see  any  of  you,  and  I  my 
self  will  take  great  pleasure  in  accompanying  you  to 
the  house.  Should  you  come  out  for  that  purpose,  I 
advise  you  to  repair  directly  to  this  place ;  and  should 
it  so  happen  that  I  should  be  absent  at  the  time,  you 
will  find  others  who  can  take  you  to  her.  Bring  with 
you  this  letter ;  show  it  to  James  T.  Miller,  of  Peru, 
Ind.,  a  small  town  not  far  from  this  place.  He  knows 
her  well.  He  is  a  young  man  whom  we  have  raised. 
He  speaks  the  Miami  tongue,  and  will  accompany  you 
if  I  should  not  be  at  home.  Inquire  for  the  old  white 
woman,  mother-in-law  to  Brouriette,  living  on  %the 
Missisinewa  River,  about  ten  miles  above  its  mouth. 
There  you  will  find  the  long-lost  sister  of  your  father,  and, 
as  I  before  stated,  you  will  not  have  to  blush  on  her 
account.  She  is  highly  respectable,  and  her  name  as 
an  Indian  is  without  reproach.  Her  daughter,  too,  and 
her  son-in-law,  Brouriette,  who  is  also  a  half-blood, 
being  part  French,  are  both  very  respectable  and  in 
teresting  people — none  in  the  nation  are  more  so.  As 
Indians  they  live  well,  and  will  be  pleased  to  see  you. 
Should  you  visit  here  this  fall,  I  may  be  absent,  as  I 
purpose  starting  for  New  York  in  a  few  days,  and 
shall  not  be  back  till  some  time  in  October.  But  this 
need  not  stop  you ;  for,  although  I  should  be  gratified 
to  see  you,  yet  it  will  be  sufficient  to  learn  that  I 


FRANCES   SLOCUM.  255 

have  furthered  your  wishes  in  this  truly  interesting 
matter. 

u  The  very  kind  manner  in  which  you  have  been 
pleased  to  speak  of  me  shall  be  fully  appreciated. 

"  There  perhaps  are  men  who  could  have  heard  her 
story  unmoved,  but  for  me,  I  could  not ;  and  when  I 
reflected  that  there  was,  perhaps,  still  lingering  on  this 
side  of  the  grave  some  brother  or  sister  of  that  ill-fated 
woman,  to  whom  such  information  would  be  deeply 
interesting,  I  resolved  on  the  course  which  I  adopted, 
and  entertained  the  fond  hope  that  my  letter,  if  ever  it 
should  go  before  the  public,  would  attract  the  attention 
of  some  one  interested.  In  this  it  seems,  at  last,  I  have 
not  been  disappointed,  although  I  had  long  since  sup 
posed  it  had  failed  to  effect  the  object  for  which  I  wrote 
it.  Like  you,  I  regret  that  it  should  have  been  delay 
ed  so  long,  nor  can  I  conceive  how  any  one  should 
neglect  to  publish  such  a  letter. 

"  As  to  the  age  of  this  female,  I  think  she  herself  is 
mistaken,  and  that  she  is  not  so  old  as  she  imagines 
herself  to  be.  Indeed,  I  entertain  no  doubt  but  that 
she  is  the  same  person  that  your  family  have  mourned 
after  for  more  than  half  a  century  past. 
"  Your  obedient  humble  servant, 

"  GEORGE  W.  EWING." 

The  way  was  now  plain,  and  there  was  no  delay  in 
taking  measures  to  visit  the  locality  where,  it  was 
now  nearly  reduced  to  a  certainty,  the  Slocums  would 
find  their  long-lost  sister.  Mr.  Isaac  Slocum  and  Mrs. 
Mary  Town  resided  in  Ohio,  but  not  in  the  same 
neighborhood.  It  was  arranged  by  correspondence 
that  Mr.  Joseph  Slocum  should  visit  Ohio  by  private 
conveyance,  take  Mrs.  Town  in  his  carriage,  and  that 


256  WYOMING. 

they  should  meet  their  brother  Isaac  somewhere  near 
the  "  Deaf  Man's  Village,"  perhaps  in  the  nearest  white 
settlement.  Isaac  pushed  on  by  public  conveyance, 
and,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Miller,  the  interpreter,  went 
directly  to  the  residence  of  the  old  woman  described 
by  Colonel  Ewing.  He  found  her,  to  all  appearance, 
a  perfect  Indian.  He  had  fixed  in  his  mind  an  infal 
lible  mark  of  distinction.  Before  she  was  carried  off, 
her  brother  Ebenezer  had  struck  her  fore-finger  on  the 
left  hand  with  a  hammer,  in  the  blacksmith's  shop,  and 
so  injured  the  bone  that  the  nail  was  permanently 
destroyed,  and  the  finger  otherwise  disfigured.  Mr. 
Slocum  accordingly  took  hold  of  her  hand,  and  brought 
her  to  the  light,  and  saw  the  mark  still  remaining, 
with  very  little  variation  from  the  changes  of  time. 
"  How  came  that  finger  jammed?"  asked  he,  through 
the  interpreter.  "  My  brother  struck  it  with  a  ham 
mer  in  the  shop,  a  long  time  ago,  before  I  was  carried 
away,"  was  the  answer. 

She,  however,  said  but  little ;  she  was  coy  and  sus 
picious,  and  manifested  no  confidence  in  the  claims  of 
the  stranger  to  be  her  brother.  Mr.  Slocum  was  satis 
fied  beyond  a  doubt  that  he  had  found  the  real  Fran 
ces  Slocum,  for  whom  he  and  his  brothers  had  so  long 
and  so  often  been  employed  in  ineffectual  searches. 
He  now  returned  to  a  small  village  nine  miles  distant, 
called  Peru,  and  anxiously  waited  the  arrival  of  his 
brother  Joseph  and  sister  Town.  Here  he  spent  sev 
eral  weary  days  in  great  anxiety  and  suspense. 

At  length,  after  hard  toiling  most  of  the  way  over 
horrible  roads  through  a  new  country,  the  brother  and 
sister  arrived.  For  persons  in  advanced  life  they  had 
almost  performed  miracles  of  endurance;  they  were 
much  fatigued,  but  they  did  not  delay  long  until  they 


FRANCES   SLOCUM.  257 

were  on  the  line  of  march  for  the  house  of  Frances. 
On  their  way  they  paid  their  respects  to  Godfrey,  the 
second  chief  of  the  Miamis,  who  was  an  exceedingly 
large  man,  of  fine  proportions  and  noble  bearing.  The 
chief  received  them  with  great  courtesy,  and  promised 
them  his  good  offices  in  the  matter  of  their  visit,  should 
they  be  needed. 

The  party  left  the  chief  and  hastened  on  to  the  point 
of  interest.  They  entered  the  decent  Indian  cabin — 
constructed  of  logs,  and  quite  roomy — and  found  the 
mistress  of  the  house  sitting  in  her  chair.  Still  she 
was  not  disposed  to  converse  freely.  She  gave  a  brief 
account  of  her  family  and  the  circumstances  of  her 
capture,  but  seemed  utterly  unmoved,  and  not  free 
from  suspicion  that  there  was  some  plan  in  operation 
to  take  her  away  or  to  get  her  land.  The  brothers 
walked  the  floor  with  emotions  too  deep  and  over 
whelming  for  utterance — the  sister  wept.  Could  it  be 
possible  that  this  Indian  woman  was  the  dear  little 
Frances,  whose  sweet  smiles  lingered  in  their  memory, 
and  which  they  could  scarcely  do  any  other  than 
identify  with  her  still?  Has  she — dear  Frances — been 
metamorphosed  into  this  stoical,  iron-hearted  Indian 
woman — old,  wrinkled,  and  cold  as  an  iceberg  ?  But 
there  could  be  no  mistake  about  it.  She  said  her 
father's  name  was  Slocum;  he  was  a  Quaker,  and 
wore  a  broad-brimmed  hat ;  he  lived  near  a  fort  by  a 
great  river ;  she  had  seven  brothers  and  two  sisters ; 
her  brother  hammered  off  her  finger  nail ;  she  was 
taken  from  under  the  staircase ;  three  Indians  took 
her,  with  a  boy  and  a  black  girl,  a  great  many  winters 
ago,  when  she  was  a  little  child.  The  question  was 
settled  ;  this  was  Frances. 

She  was  now  a  widow.     Her  husband  was  a  chief. 


258  WYOMING. 

She  had  two  daughters :  the  younger  of  the  two  had 
lost  her  husband ;  the  husband  of  the  elder  was  a  half- 
breed — his  father  a  Frenchman — and  his  name  was 
Brouriette,  who  managed  the  out-door  affairs  of  the 
family,  subject  always  to  the  views  and  feelings  of  the 
queen  mother-in-law.  The  family  circle  scrupulously 
followed  the  lead  of  the  venerated  head  of  the  house 
hold,  making  no  advances,  exhibiting  no  emotion. 
On  this  occasion  only  one  tender  chord  was-  touched. 
The  long-lost  sister  had  forgotten  her  own  name.  She 
was  asked  if  she  thought  she  could  remember  it  if  she 
should  hear  it  mentioned.  Her  answer  was,  "It  is  a 
long  time  ;  I  do  not  know."  "  Was  it  Frances  ?" 
Something  like  emotion  instantly  agitated  her  iron- 
cast  features,  and,  with  a  smile,  she  answered  in  the 
affirmative,  "  Franca,  Franca." 

Things  changed  a  little,  but  by  very  slow  degrees. 
The  hospitalities  of  the  house  were  never  denied  to 
respectable  strangers,  and,  of  course,  would  be  offered 
to  the  Slocums.  When  the  conversation  was  con 
cluded,  the  Indian  queen  went  about  her  business,  ap 
parently  with  as  much  indifference  as  though  nothing 
of  interest  had  happened.  The  party  surveyed  the 
premises,  and  were  pleased  to  find  every  thing  in  ex 
cellent  order  for  an  Indian  residence.  Keturning  from 
a  stroll,  they  observed  the  sister  seated  on  the  floor,  at 
work  at  a  deerskin,  which  was  nearly  ready  for  use. 
She  was  scraping  the  rough  places  with  a  knife,  and 
reducing  its  rigidity  by  friction.  She  paid  little  atten 
tion  to  the  strangers,  only  answering  when  addressed 
through  the  interpreter.  The  daughters  evidently  ob 
served  the  strangers  with  interest,  but,  Indian-like,  only 
cast  at  them  side-glances  when  they  thought  they  were 
not  observed. 


FRANCES  SLOCUM.  259 

The  company  proposed  to  the  sister  to  accompany 
them,  with  her  son-in-law  and  daughters,  to  Peru. 
She  could  not  fully  pledge  herself  to  comply  with  this 
request  until  she  had  consulted  Godfrey,  the  chief. 
He  advised  her  to  comply  with  the  request,  assuring 
her  that  she  would  be  in  no  danger  from  the  respect 
able  strangers;  that,  being  her  relations,  they  had  cer 
tainly  visited  her  with  none  other  than  the  most  friend 
ly  intentions.  The  arrangement  was  completed,  and 
the  party  returned. 

On  the  Sabbath,  the  sister,  her  son-in-law,  and  two 
daughters  came  on  horseback,  in  single  file,  and  pre 
sented  themselves  before  the  door  of  the  new  hotel  of 
the  little  town,  the  queen  before,  the  daughters  next, 
and  Captain  Brouriette  bringing  up  the  rear.  They 
were  met  by  the  brothers  with  great  cordiality,  and  re 
quested  to  alight,  and  were  conducted  into  the  house. 
Before  any  intimacy  could  be  entered  upon,  the  stran 
gers  must  receive  a  present.  The  eldest  daughter 
brought  something  in  a  clean  white  cloth  and  laid  it 
upon  the  table,  which,  upon  examination,  was  found 
to  be  the  hind-quarter  of  a  deer.  After  a  brief  expla 
nation  through  the  interpreter,  Mrs.  Town  advanced 
and  took  possession  of  the  present,  which  was  the 
proffered  token  of  friendship,  when  confidence  was  es 
tablished. 

There  was  now  only  one  drawback  to  the  circum 
stances  of  the  meeting,  and  that  was  the  fact  that  it 
was  the  Sabbath.  And  was  it  possible  that  Frances 
had  lost  the  idea  of  the  sacredness  of  the  Sabbath  ? 
that  "  she  did  not  know  when  Sunday  came  ?"  Here 
was  an  evidence,  among  many,  that  Frances  Slocum 
had  become  an  Indian  in  every  thing  excepting  her 
parentage,  and  that  she  was,  in  fact,  a  heathen.  Noth- 


260  WYOMING. 

ing  else  could  have  been  expected,  and  yet  the  fact 
seemed  surprising,  as  it  was  afflicting,  to  the  Slocums. 

The  best  provisions  were  now  made  for  the  enter 
tainment  of  the  Indian  party,  and  Frances  was  some 
what  more  free.  She  listened  with  interest  to  a  his 
tory  of  the  Slocum  family,  a  part  of  which  was  the 
cruel  murder  of  her  father  soon  after  her  capture,  and 
the  deep  anxiety  of  their  mother,  while  she  lived,  to 
find  her  lost  child.  They  assured  her  that  Mrs.  Town 
was  the  sister  who  ran  away  to  the  fort  with  her  little 
brother  in  her  arms,  and  that  Mr.  Joseph  Slocum  was 
that  very  little  brother.  In  due  time  preparations 
were  made  to  take  down  in  writing  her  Indian  history. 
To  this  she  seemed  to  have  some  aversion  until  the 
reasons  for  it  were  explained  by  the  interpreter.  She 
then  proceeded  with  a  brief  account  of  her  captivity, 
and  her  Indian  life  down  to  the  present  time,  which, 
as  it  was  more  fully  recited  on  the  occasion  of  a  sub 
sequent  visit,  we  shall  reserve  for  record  in  connection 
with  that  visit. 

This  was  a  most  extraordinary  meeting,  and  excited 
no  little  interest  in  the  community.  People  gathered 
in  and  around  the  house,  gaping  and  listening  with 
amazement.  They  crowded  the  doors  and  windows, 
and  so  interrupted  the  free  circulation  of  the  air,  that 
the  Indian  party,  so  accustomed  to  the  free  air  of  the 
woods  and  the  prairies,  were  almost  suffocated.  The 
food,  too,  seasoned  with  salt  and  pepper,  was  not  only 
unpalatable,  but  was  scarcely  endurable.  The  circum 
stances,  altogether,  had  an  injurious  influence  upon  the 
health  of  Frances,  and  she  sought  relief  in  accordance 
with  the  habits  of  savage  life.  She  quietly  slipped 
away,  and  in  five  minutes  was  found  with  her  blanket 
pulled  over  her  head,  lying  on  the  floor  of  the  stoop, 


FRANCES  SLOCUM.  261 

fast  asleep.  The  two  parties  remained  at  Peru  three 
days.  They  had  frequent  conferences,  during  which 
the  following  questions  and  answers  are  reported : 

"Were  you  ever  tired  of  living  with  the  Indians?" 

"  No ;  I  always  had  enough  to  live  on,  and  have  lived 
well.  The  Indians  always  used  me  kindly." 

"  Did  you  know  that  you  had  white  relations  who 
were  seeking  you  for  so  many  years?" 

"  No ;  no  one  told  me,  and  I  never  heard  of  it.  I 
never  thought  any  thing  about  my  white  relations  un 
less  it  was  a  little  while  after  I  was  taken." 

"  We  live  where  our  father  and  mother  used  to  live, 
on  the  banks  of  the  beautiful  Susquehanna,  and  we 
want  you  to  return  with  us ;  we  will  give  you  of  our 
property,  and  you  shall  be  one  of  us,  and  share  all  that 
we  have.  You  shall  have  a  good  house,  and  every 
thing  you  desire.  Oh,  do  go  back  with  us !" 

"  No,  I  can  not.  I  have  always  lived  with  the  In 
dians  ;  they  have  always  used  me  very  kindly ;  I  am 
used  to  them.  The  Great  Spirit  has  always  allowed 
me  to  live  with  them,  and  I  wish  to  live  and  die  with 
them.  Your  Wah-puh-mone  (looking-glass)  may  be 
larger  than  mine,  but  this  is  my  home.  I  do  not  wish 
to  live  any  better,  or  any  where  else,  and  I  think  the 
Great  Spirit  has  permitted  me  to  live  so  long  because 
I  have  always  lived  with  the  Indians.  I  should  have 
died  sooner  if  I  had  left  them.  My  husband  and  my 
boys  are  buried  here,  and  I  can  not  leave  them.  On 
his  dying-day  my  husband  charged  me  not  to  leave  the 
Indians.  I  have  a  house  and  large  lands,  two  daugh 
ters,  a  son-in-law,  three  grandchildren,  and  every  thing 
to  make  me  comfortable :  why  should  I  go,  and  be  like 
a  fish  out  of  the  water?" 

Brouriette  spoke  and  said ; 


262  WYOMING. 

"  And  I  know  all  about  it.  I  was  born  at  Fort 
Harrison,  about  two  miles  from  Terre  Haute.  "When  I 
was  ten  years  old  I  went  to  Detroit.  I  was  married 
to  this  woman  about  thirteen  years  ago.  The  people 
about  here  and  at  Logansport  and  at  Miamisport  have 
known  me  ever  since  the  country  was  settled  by  the 
whites.  They  know  me  to  be  industrious,  to  manage 
well,  and  to  maintain  my  family  respectably.  My 
mother-in-law's  sons  are  dead,  and  I  stand  in  their 
place  to  her.  I  mean  to  maintain  her  well  as  long  as 
she  lives,  for  the  truth  of  which  you  may  depend  on 
the  word  of  Captain  Brouriette." 

"What  Captain  Brouriette  says,"  added  the  old 
lady,  u  is  true.  He  has  always  treated  me  kindly,  and 
I  am  satisfied  with  him — perfectly  satisfied;  and  I 
hope  my  connections  will  not  feel  any  uneasiness  about 
me.  The  Indians  are  my  people.  I  do  no  work.  I 
sit  in  the  house  with  these  my  two  daughters,  who  do 
the  work,  and  I  sit  with  them." 

"But  will  you  at  least  go  and  make  a  visit  to  your 
early  home,  and  when  you  have  seen  us,  return  again 
to  your  children?" 

"  I  can  not.  I  can  not.  I  am  an  old  tree.  I  can 
not  move  about.  I  was  a  sapling  when  they  took  me 
away.  It  is  all  gone  past.  I  am  afraid  I  should  die 
and  never  come  back.  I  am  happy  here.  I  shall  die 
here  and  lie  in  that  grave-yard,  and  they  will  raise  the 
pole  at  my  grave  with  the  white  flag  on  it,  and  the 
Great  Spirit  will  know  where  to  find  me.  I  should 
not  be  happy  with  my  white  relatives.  I  am  glad 
enough  to  see  them,  but  I  can  not  go.  I  can  not  go. 
I  have  done." 

"  When  the  whites  take  a  squaw,"  said  Brouriette, 
with  much  animation,  as  if  delighted  with  the  decision 


FKANCES  SLOCUM.  263 

of  tlie  old  lady,  "  they  make  her  work  like  a  slave.  It 
was  never  so  with,  this  woman.  If  I  had  been  a 
drunken,  worthless  fellow,  this  woman  could  not  have 
lived  to  this  age.  But  I  have  always  treated  her  well. 
The  village  is  called  Deaf  Man's  Village,  after  her  hus 
band.  I  have  done." 

The  eldest  daughter,  whose  name  is  Kick-ke-se-qua, 
or  "  cut-finger"  assented  to  all  that  had  been  said,  and 
added  that  "  the  deer  can  not  live  out  of  the  forest." 

The  youngest  daughter,  0-show-se-quah,  or  "yellow 
leaves"  confirmed  all,  and  thought  that  her  mother 
could  not  go  even  on  a  visit,  "  because,"  said  she,  "  the 
fish  dies  quickly  out  of  the  water." 

The  talk  closed.  The  Indian  sister  was  weary  and 
sick,  and  anxious  to  return  to  her  wilds,  so  congenial 
to  her  feelings,  and  so  endeared  to  her  heart  by  many 
tender  associations.  There  was  her  home,  and  there 
were  the  graves  of  her  husband  and  her  sons,  and  there 
she  could  enjoy  the  mode  of  life  which,  by  long  and 
invincible  habit,  had  become  her  element,  and  was  nec 
essary  to  her  being. 

The  brothers  and  sister  returned  to  their  homes 
with  mingled  emotions  of  pleasure  and  pain.  They 
had  found  their  long-lost  sister  Frances,  but  they  had 
found  and  left  her  an  Indian,  with  almost  every  trace 
of  Christian  civilization  erased,  both  from  her  soul, 
body,  and  being.  She  looked  like  an  Indian,  talked 
like  an  Indian,  lived  like  an  Indian,  seated  herself  like 
an  Indian,  ate  like  an  Indian,  lay  down  to  sleep  like 
an  Indian,  thought,  felt,  and  reasoned  like  an  Indian ; 
she  had  no  longings  for  her  original  home,  or  the  so 
ciety  of  her  kindred ;  she  eschewed  the  trammels  of 
civilized  life,  and  could  only  breathe  freely  in  the  great 
unfenced  out-doors  which  God  gave  to  the  Eed  Man. 


264  WYOMING. 

There  was,  however,  this  to  comfort  the  Slocums :  their 
sister  was  not  degraded  in  her  habits  or  her  charac 
ter  ;  there  was  a  moral  dignity  in  her  manners  entirely 
above  ordinary  savage  life ;  her  Anglo-Saxon  blood 
had  not  been  tainted  by  savage  touch,  but  bore  itself 
gloriously  amid  the  long  series  of  trials  through  which 
it  had  passed.  She  was  the  widow  of  a  deceased  chief; 
she  was  rich;  all  that  abundance  and  respectability 
could  do  for  a  woman  in  savage  life  was  hers.  Such 
was  the  former  Frances  Slocum,  of  "Wyoming,  now 
Ma-con-a-qua,  the  Indian  queen  of  the  Miamis.  The 
problem  was  settled — the  veil  of  sixty  years  cast  over 
the  history  and  fate  of  a  captive  child  was  now  finally 
removed. 

On  Mr.  Joseph  Slocum's  return  to  his  family  in 
"Wilkesbarre,  his  relations  were  listened  to  with  the 
most  intense  interest.  Every  body  had  a  long  cata 
logue  of  questions  to  ask  about  Frances,  which  he  was 
always  ready  to  answer.  He  seemed  never  weary  of 
conversing  upon  the  subject  of  the  captivity — the 
mysterious  history — the  visit.  But  Mr.  Slocum  was 
not  quite  satisfied  with  that  visit;  he  consequently 
resolved  upon  another,  and  this  time  he  took  with  him 
his  eldest  and  youngest  daughters. 

Mr.  Slocum  and  his  two  daughters — Mrs.  Bennet 
and  Harriet,  now  Mrs.  Drake — left  home  upon  this  in 
teresting  trip  September  10th,  1839.  Their  route  was 
through  Montrose,  Owego,  Ithaca,  the  Cayuga  Lake, 
and  by  the  Erie  Canal  to  Niagara  Falls.  Mr.  Slocum's 
memorandum  of  the  journey  contains  many  interest 
ing  entries,  besides  an  account  of  his  expenses ;  Mrs. 
Bennet  kept  a  regular  journal.  Both  of  these  are  be 
fore  us,  and,  so  far  as  facts  are  concerned,  will  be  strict 
ly  followed. 


FRANCES   SLOCUM.  265 

After  a  thorough  examination  of  that  great  natural 
curiosity,  the  Falls,  the  party  took  the  cars  for  Buffalo, 
and  thence  came,  by  steam-boat,  to  Sandusky  City. 
After  a  short  visit  at  Mr.  Isaac  Slocum's,  who  resided 
a  few  miles  back  in  the  country,  they  took  another 
steam-boat  for  Maumee.  Thence  they  came  by  stage, 
via  Fort  Defiance,  to  Fort  Wayne,  through  the  rain, 
over  horrible  roads,  heavily  loaded :  nothing  is  noted 
very  favorable  to  the  stages  or  drivers.  Here  they 
took  passage  on  a  canal  packet  to  Logansport,  and 
thence  to  Peru,  where  they  arrived  September  28th, 
having  been  eighteen  days  on  their  journey.  Mrs.  Ben- 
net  says,  "  We  found  comfortable  lodgings  at  Mr.  Bur 
nett's,  a  temperance  house.  This  place  has  only  been 
settled  four  years ;  the  country  is  rich,  but  unhealthy." 
Mr.  Miller,  the  interpreter,  called  upon  them;  they 
spent  the  Sabbath  here.  On  Monday  morning  they 
chartered  a  wagon,  and  proceeded  to  "  the  Deaf  Man's 
Village."  The  company  consisted  of  Mr.  Slocum,  his 
two  daughters,  Mr.  Miller,  and  two  gentlemen — Mr. 
Taylor  and  Mr.  Fullweller.  "  Our  charioteer  likes  a 
dram :  to  be  sure  of  a  supply,  he  carried  a  bottle  in  his 
pocket ;  if  he  had  spent  the  money  in  getting  his  har 
ness  mended  it  would  have  been  better  for  us:"  so 
says  Mrs.  Bennet.  Mr.  Slocum  says,  "  Had  some  trou 
ble  with  breaking  our  harness;  got  up  there  about 
half  past  twelve  o'clock." 

Having  received  intelligence  of  the  coming  of  the 
party,  Brouriette,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  Mi- 
amis  when  visited  by  distinguished  guests,  came  well 
mounted  to  meet  them.  He  dismounted  and  shook 
hands  with  them  all,  and  bid  them  welcome.  He  then 
mounted  his  horse,  and  galloped  off  through  the  woods 
with  great  speed  to  apprise  the  family  of  the  approach 

M 


266  WYOMING. 

of  the  company.  He  spoke  broken  English,  and  Mrs. 
Drake  says,  "He  is  a  very  fine,  tall  Indian;  his  head 
was  covered  with  a  handkerchief  something  like  a  tur 
ban,  with  nearly  a  yard  of  red  calico  hanging  down 
behind."  As  he  ran  his  horse  through  the  woods, 
with  his  red  streamer  flying  after  him,  "  he  made,"  as 
she  says,  "  a  grotesque  appearance." 

The  Slocums  and  their  friends  arrived  at  the  resi 
dence  of  Frances  September  30.  Captain  Brouriette 
met  them  at  the  door  and  brought  them  into  the 
house.  Mrs.  Drake  says,  "  "We  found  our  aunt  seated 
in  a  chair,  looking  very  much  as  represented  in  the 
water-colored  portrait  now  in  possession  of  Judge  Ben- 
net,  with  her  two  daughters  standing  by  her." 

Mr.  Slocum,  after  the  accustomed  salutations,  told 
his  sister  that  he  had  brought  his  eldest  and  youngest 
children  to  see  her.  The  coldness  and  reserve  of  the 
former  visit  were  now  entirely  gone,  and  Frances  ex 
pressed  great  joy  upon  the  occasion  of  again  seeing 
her  brother,  and  particularly  that  he  had  brought  his 
daughters  so  far  to  see  her.  The  mother  and  daugh 
ters  immediately  commenced  an  animated  conversa 
tion  upon  the  subject  of  the  family  resemblances 
which  were  observable.  The  old  lady,  looking  at  the 
ladies  earnestly,  passed  her  hand  down  her  cheeks, 
stopping  the  motion  at  the  posterior  point  of  her  lower 
jaw.  There  is  an  unusual  fullness  and  prominence  at 
that  point  of  the  Slocum  face. 

The  preparations  for  dinner  were  soon  commenced. 
They  spread  the  table  with  a  white  cotton  cloth,  and 
wiped  the  dishes,  as  they  took  them  from  the  cup 
board,  with  a  clean  cloth.  They  prepared  an  excellent 
dinner  of  fried  venison,  potatoes,  shortcake,  and  cof 
fee.  Their  cups  and  saucers  were  small,  and  they  put 


FRANCES  SLOCUM. 


267 


MA-OON-A-QUA. 


three  or  four  table -spoonfuls  of  maple  sugar  in  a  cup. 
They  were  told  by  their  white  visitors,  "  Our  way  is 
not  so  much  sugar."  They  seemed  very  anxious  to 
please,  and  would  often  ask,  "Is  that  right?"  The 
eldest  daughter  waited  on  the  table,  while  her  mother 
sat  at  the  table  and  ate  with  her  white  relations.  After 
dinner  they  washed  the  dishes,  and  replaced  them  upon 
the  shelves,  and  then  swept  the  floor.  The  ladies  were 


268  WYOMING. 

surprised  at  these  evidences  of  civilization,  and  upon 
asking  their  aunt  why  they  did  these  things,  she  made 
answer  that  her  mother  used  to  do  so,  and  she  had  al 
ways  done  it,  and  learned  it  to  her  daughters.  It  was, 
therefore,  a  uniform  rule  in  her  house  to  wipe  the  dust 
from  the  dishes  when  they  were  put  upon  the  table, 
and  when  the  meal  was  concluded  to  wash  them  and 
return  them  to  the  cupboard,  and  then  to  sweep  the 
room. 

In  the  afternoon  all  left  but  Mr.  Slocum,  his  daugh 
ters,  and  Mr.  Miller  ;  the  last  remained  till  near  night, 
when  he  returned.  They  strolled  over  the  prem 
ises,  and  visited  the  burying-ground.  They  raise  a 
pole  over  the  grave  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  high,  with 
a  white  cloth  at  the  top,  which  remains  until  destroyed 
by  time.  The  premises  showed  great  skill  and  indus 
try  for  savage  life,  and  no  little  order  and  attention  to 
comfort  in  its  arrangements.  The  house  was  "a  dou 
ble  hut."  A  neighboring  squaw  came  in  to  help  do 
the  work,  and  the  Indian  daughters  kept  close  to  their 
white  cousins,  and  talked  with  them  incessantly.  They 
supposed  candles  would  be  wanted,  and,  to  meet  the 
emergency,  the  squaw  melted  some  tallow,  twisted 
wicking  on  a  stick,  and  with  a  spoon  poured  the  tal 
low  down  the  wicks  until  "  quite  a  respectable  candle" 
was  produced. 

For  supper  they  had  the  breast  of  a  wild  turkey 
stewed  with  onions — "  quite  a  delicate  dish."  When 
they  came  to  retire,  "  the  pillow"  all  there  was  in  the 
house,  was  assigned  to  Mr.  Slocum  by  the  Indian  sis 
ter.  "  They  pay  great  respect  to  age.  They  had  six 
beds,  principally  composed  of  blankets  and  other  goods 
folded  together,"  says  Mrs.  Bennet.  "  They  were  made 
of  almost  every  thing,"  says  Mrs.  Drake.  The  visitors 


FRANCES  SLOCUM.  269 

slept  sweetly,  and,  after  taking  "  a  comfortable  break 
fast,"  they  commenced  their  arrangements  to  return 
to  Peru. 

After  breakfast  a  white  man  came  to  purchase  a 
steer,  and  brought  with  him  a  colored  man  as  an  in 
terpreter.  He  could  not  trade  for  the  want  of  the 
money,  as  "he  might  move  away,"  and  that  would  be 
the  last  of  it.  No  business  transaction  takes  place  in 
the  family  without  the  consent  of  Frances.  She  usu 
ally  makes  the  bargains  herself. 

The  colored  man  served  so  well  in  the  capacity  of 
an  interpreter  that  he  was  retained  by  Mr.  Slocum 
for  the  purpose.  Frances  was  more  free  in  her  com 
munications  through  him  than  she  had  been  through 
Mr.  Miller,  and  gave  many  circumstances  in  her  his 
tory  and  recollections  which  she  had  not  previously 
given. 

They  seemed  anxious  to  tell  their  white  relatives 
as  much  as  possible  about  themselves,  and  to  make  as 
favorable  an  impression  as  possible.  They  had  made 
in  the  spring  "  eleven  barrels  of  sugar,"  "  She  says 
she  could  have  a  better  house,  but  fears  -to  do  it  on 
account  of  the  jealousy  of  the  Indians.  She  has 
money ;  some  that  has  been  saved  since  the 'treaty  of 
St.  Mary's,  eighteen  years  ago.  They  had  cloths  and 
calicoes  enough  to  fill  a  country  store.  They  have  a 
looking-glass — several  splint-bottomed  chairs — a  great 
many  trinkets  hung  about  the  house — beads  and 
chains  of  silver  and  polished  steel.  Some  of  their 
dresses  are  richly  ornamented  with  silver  brooches, 
seven  or  eight  rows  of  them  as  close  as  they  can  be 
put  together — many  silver  ear-rings:  my  aunt  had 
seven  pairs  in  her  ears ;  her  daughters  perhaps  a 
dozen  a  piece.  They  have  saddles  and  bridles  of  the 


270  WYOMING. 

most  costly  kind — six  men's  saddles  and  one  side 
saddle.  They  have  between  fifty  and  sixty  horses, 
one  hundred  hogs,  and  seventeen  head  of  cattle. 
They  have  geese  and  chickens.  Their  house  is  in 
closed  with  a  common  worm  fence,  with  some  out 
houses,  principally  built  of  logs.  A  never  -  failing 
spring  of  excellent  water  is  near  the  door,  with  a 
house  over  it."  This  is  Mrs.  Bennet's  description, 
with  some  items  added  by  Mrs.  Drake.  From  the 
same  sources  I  give  the  following  description  of  the 
family. 

"  My  aunt  is  of  small  stature,  not  very  much  bent ; 
her  hair  clubbed  behind  in  calico,  tied  with  worsted 
ferret;  her  dress  a  blue  calico  short-gown,  a  white 
Mackinaw  blanket,  a  fold  of  blue  broadcloth  around 
her,  red  cloth  leggins,  and  buckskin  moccasins.  Her 
hair  is  somewhat  gray,  her  eyes  a  bright  chestnut,  clear 
and  sprightly  for  one  of  her  age,  her  face  very  much 
wrinkled  and  weather-beaten.  She  has  a  scar  on  her 
left  cheek,  which  she  received  at  an  Indian  dance. 
Her  skin  is  not  so  dark  as  would  be  expected  from 
her  age  and  constant  exposure.  Her  teeth  are  remark 
ably  good," 

This  extraordinary  family  had  not  been  without 
their  griefs.  The  first  husband  of  the  youngest  daugh 
ter  had  died,  and  the  second  had  been  killed  in  a  fight. 
The  only  child  of  the  eldest  had  been  poisoned  by  a 
desperate  lover,  son  of  Godfrey  the  chief,  because  her 
family  would  not  consent  to  her  marrying  him  on  ac 
count  of  his  intemperance  and  idleness.  These  sad 
events  had  left  traces  behind  them  which  death  alone 
would  efface. 

At  the  time  the  whole  family  gave  themselves  up 
to  inconsolable  grief. 


FRANCES  SLOCUM.  271 

'•'•Lady  Cap.  Alack  the  day!  she's  dead,  she's  dead,  she's 
dead. 

Cap.  Ha !  let  me  see  her.     Out,  alas  !  she's  cold ; 
Her  blood  is  settled,  and  her  joints  are  stiff; 
Death  lies  on  her,  like  an  untimely  frost 
Upon  the  sweetest  flower  of  all  the  field. 
Accursed  time  !  unfortunate  old  man ! 

Nurse.  O,  lamentable  day ! 

Lady  Cap.  O,  woeful  time ! 

Cap.  Death,  that  hath  ta'en  her  hence  to  make  me  wail, 
Ties  up  my  tongue,  and  will  not  let  me  speak. 

Lady  Cap.  Accurs'd,  unhappy,  wretched,  hateful  day  ! 
Most  miserable  hour  that  e'er  time  saw 
In  lasting  labor  of  his  pilgrimage  ! 
But  one,  poor  one,  one  poor  and  loving  child, 
But  one  thing  to  rejoice  and  solace  in, 
And  cruel  death  hath  catch'd  it  from  my  sight." 

SHAKSPEARE — Romeo  and  Juliet. 

The  following  is  from  Mrs.  Bennet's  journal :  "  The 
•eldest  daughter  is  large  and  fleshy — I  should  think 
would  weigh  near  two  hundred  pounds.  She  is  act 
ive,  observing,  and  intelligent,  thirty-four  years  of  age. 
The  youngest  is  smaller — is  quiet  and  very  retiring — 
is  twenty-four  years  of  age.  The  mother's  name  is  Ma- 
con-a-qua,  a  young  bear.  The  eldest  daughter's  name 
is  Kich-ke-ne-che-qua,  cut-finger.  The  youngest  is 
0-saw-she-quah,  yellow  leaf.  The  grandchildren's  names 
are  Kip-pe-no-quah,  corn-tassel,  Wap-pa-na-se-a,  a  Hue 
corn,  Kim-on-sack-quah,  young  panther.'1'1 

As  to  the  religious  notions  of  Frances,  Mrs.  Bennet 
says,  "  She  is  well  apprised  of  a  heaven  and  hell,  and 
the  necessity  of  living  a  sober,  honest,  and  quiet  life, 
and  if  she  does  she  thinks  she  will  be  happy  when  she 
dies,  having  been  taught  these  things  by  her  adopted 
parents."  The  heathenism  of  the  Delawares,  into  whose 
hands  she  fell,  had  been  much  modified  by  Christian 
influences  and  instructions,  through  the  agency  of  the 


272  WYOMING. 

Moravian  missionaries.  It  is  not  at  all  unlikely  that 
the  Christian  ideas  of  a  state  of  future  rewards  and 
punishments  had  made  a  deep  impression  upon  the 
general  mind  of  that  tribe  far  beyond  what  was  devel 
oped  in  the  form  of  a  profession  of  Christianity.  These 
ideas,  being  in  harmony  with  the  childish  impressions 
and  early  instructions  of  Frances,  would  be  likely  to 
take  a  deeper  hold  upon  her  heart  and  life  than  upon 
those  of  native  Indians.  There  was  a  high  moral 
bearing  in  this  adopted  Indian  mind  that  well  accords 
with  this  theory ;  and  how  far  the  Holy  Spirit  may 
have  wrought  these  principles  into  the  texture  of  her 
soul,  and,  through  them,  finally  sanctified  that  soul,  is 
not  for  us  to  know.  But  it  would  scarcely  border 
upon  presumption  to  entertain  a  hope  of  the  final  hap 
piness  of  Frances  Slocum. 

To  proceed  with  the  visit.  It  had  been  arranged 
that  Frances,  her  eldest  daughter,  and  Captain  Brou- 
riette  should  accompany  the  visitors  to  Peru,  in  the 
way  of  an  interchange  of  hospitalities.  After  break 
fast  Captain  Brouriette  left  upon  some  business,  prom 
ising  to  meet  the  company  at  Peru  at  three  o'clock 
P.  M.  The  arrangements  for  proceeding  on  horseback 
were  nearly  completed.  Frances  had  but  one  side 
saddle,  and  she  went  to  the  brink  of  the  river,  and 
took  off  her  moccasins  and  leggins,  waded  the  river, 
and  went  a  mile  and  borrowed  another  side-saddle, 
that  both  of  her  fair  nieces  might  be  accommodated. 
As  for  herself,  like  the  Indian  women  generally,  she 
rode  a  man's  saddle. 

About  noon  the  horses  were  all  rigged  and  at  the 
door.  When  the  company  were  all  seated  in  their 
saddles,  Frances  started  off,  followed  by  her  eldest 
daughter.  Mr.  Slocum  rode  on  next,  followed  by  his 


FRANCES  SLOCUM.  273 

two  daughters,  "  all  in  Indian  file."  They-  forded  the 
Missisinewa  twice  and  the  Wabash  once.  Just  be 
fore  they  arrived  at  Peru,  Frances  and  her  daughter 
fell  behind,  wishing  her  white  relatives  to  take  the  lead 
as  they  entered  the  village.  They  arrived  a  little  be 
fore  three,  and,  punctual  to  the  minute,  Captain  Brou- 
riette  rode  up  at  three.  They  were  now  all  seated  in 
the  parlor,  with  Mr.  Miller,  the  interpreter,  and  visit 
ing  proceeded  briskly.  The  Indian  portion  of  the 
party  were  now  more  observing  than  ever,  and  did  not 
try  to  conceal  their  preferences  for  many  of  the  usages 
of  the  whites.  They  would  neither  eat  nor  do  scarcely 
any  thing  else  until  they  saw  how  their  white  friends 
did  it.  They  spoke  of  many  things  they  saw  upon 
the  table,  and  said  they  must  get  some  like  them. 
Harriet  had  knitting,  and  the  Indian  daughter  would 
scarcely  allow  her  to  lay  it  down  until  she  had  learned 
"the  stitch."  She  said  she  would  knit  herself  a  pair 
of  stockings,  "they  were  so  comfortable."  At  night 
the  ladies  all  retired  to  the  same  room.  Here  Fran 
ces  and  her  daughter  closely  observed  the  garments 
of  the  ladies,  and,  so  far  as  was  physically  practicable, 
tried  them  on.  The  bulky  young  Indian  woman,  by 
shrewd  signs,  intimated  that  if  she  had  stays  to  wear 
she  would  be  small  too.  When  their  curiosity  was 
gratified,  the  queen  Ma-con-a-qua  and  her  daughter 
lay  down  upon  the  floor,  not  listening  for  a  moment  to 
the  solicitations  of  the  ladies  to  take  a  bed,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  were  sound  asleep. 

We  will  now  proceed  to  give  the  history  of  Frances 
as  she  gave  it,  piecemeal,  during  the  two  visits. 

She  said  that  before  her  father  removed  to  Wyo 
ming  they  lived  by  a  great  water.  They  had  a  large 
house,  and  she  thought  her  father  had  sold  it,  as  she 
M2 


274-  WYOMING. 

saw  a  great  heap  of  paper  money  counted  out  on  the 
table.  In  a  few  days  there  was  a  large  new  wagon 
brought  up,  and  they  were  all  put  into  it  like  a  flock  of 
quails  or  chickens.  The  wagon  had  a  sail  or  tent  over 
it.  They  used  to  peep  out  sometimes,  and  her  broth 
er,  who  rode  on  one  of  the  horses,  would  strike  at  them 
with  his  great  whip.  He  called  her  "red-head,"  and 
told  her  to  keep  her  head  in,  or  it  would  get  knocked 
off  against  the  trees.  She  said,  they  would  take  us 
out  and  feed  us,  and  then  put  us  back  again  under  the 
tent.  She  remembered  her  mother — remembers  see 
ing  her  spin :  she  was  a  large  woman,  and  she  would 
make  her  mind,  and  make  her  work.  She  tells  this  to 
her  girls :  when  she  was  small,  her  mother  would  make 
her  wash  up  the  dishes  as  soon  as  they  had  done  eat 
ing,  and  she  taught  them  the  same  thing.  When  they 
came  to  Wyoming  they  lived  by  a  long  river  near  a 
fort.  On  being  asked  if  they  had  any  black  people  in 
the  family,  she  said  they  had,  and  the  Indians  took  a 
black  girl  before  they  took  her. 

THE  CAPTIVITY. 

We  will  now  proceed  to  the  story  of  the  captivity 
of  Frances  Slocum  as  related  by  herself.  "  Three  Del 
aware  Indians  came  suddenly  to  our  house.  They 
killed  and  scalped  a  man  near  the  door.  A  boy  ran 
into  the  house,  and  he  and  I  hid  under  the  staircase. 
The  Indians  came  into  the  house  and  went  up  stairs. 
They  took  some  loaf-sugar  and  some  bundles  of  other 
things.  They  carried  us  through  the  bushes.  I  look 
ed  back,  but  saw  no  one  except  my  mother.  They 
carried  us  over  the  mountains — it  seemed  to  me  a  long 
way  —  to  a  cave  where  they  had  left  their  blankets 
and  some  other  things.  There  was  a  bed  of  leaves, 


FRANCES  SLOCUM.  275 

and  here  we  staid  all  night.  We  reached  this  place 
while  it  was  yet  light.  I  was  very  tired,  and  I  lay 
down  on  the  ground,  and  cried  until  I  fell  asleep. 

"  The  next  morning  we  set  off  early,  and  we  traveled 
many  days  in  the  woods  before  we  came  to  an  Indian 
village.  When  we  stopped  at  night,  the  Indians  would 
make  a  bed  of  hemlock  boughs,  and  make  up  a  great 
fire  at  their  feet  which  would  last  all  night.  They 
roasted  their  meat  by  sticking  a  stick  into  it,  and  hold 
ing  it  to  the  fire.  They  drank  at  the  brooks  and 
springs,  and  made  me  a  little  cup  of  birch  bark  to 
drink  out  of.  The  Indians  were  very  kind  to  me ; 
when  they  had  any  thing  to  eat,  I  always  had  the  best; 
when  I  was  tired,  they  carried  me  in  their  arms ;  and 
in  a  short  time  I  began  to  feel  better,  and  stopped  cry 
ing.  I  do  not  know  where  the  Indian  village  was 
which  we  first  stopped  at ;  we  only  staid  there  a  few 
days."  It  was  probably  Sheshequin. 

"  Yery  early  one  morning  two  of  the  same  Indians 
took  a  horse,  and  set  the  boy  and  me  on  it,  and  set  off 
upon  a  journey.  One  Indian  went  before,  and  the  oth 
er  behind,  driving  the  horse.  We  traveled  a  long  way, 
when  we  came  to  the  village  where  these  Indians  be 
longed.  I  now  found  that  one  of  them  was  an  Indian 
chief  whom  they  called  Tack-horse.  I  do  not  know 
what  that  name  means."  The  name,  it  is  probable, 
has  allusion  to  some  fact  in  the  chief's  history  while 
he  mingled  with  the  whites,  for  we  shall  subsequently 
see  that  he  had  quite  a  sprinkling  of  civilization  in  his 
character.  Her  story  proceeds:  "Early  one  morning 
Tack-horse  took  me  and  dressed  my  hair  in  the  Indian 
fashion,  and  painted  my  face.  He  then  dressed  me  up, 
and  put  on  me  beautiful  wampum  beads,  and  made  me 
look  very  fine.  I  was  much  pleased  with  the  wampum, 


276  WYOMING. 

"We  then  lived  on  a  hill  not  far  from  a  river" — 
probably  the  Genesee  River.  "  I  was  now  adopted  by 
Tack-horse  and  his  wife  in  the  place  of  one  they  had 
lost  a  short  time  before,  and  they  gave  me  her  name. 
When  the  Indians  lose  a  child,  they  often  adopt  some 
one  in  its  place,  and  treat  that  one  in  all  respects  as 
their  own.  This  is  the  reason  why  they  so  often  carry 
off  the  children  of  white  people. 

"  It  was  now  the  fall  of  the  year,  for  chestnuts  had 
come.  There  were  a  great  many  Indians  here,  and 
here  we  remained  all  winter.  The  Indians  were  fur 
nished  with  ammunition  and  provisions  by  the  British. 
In  the  spring  we  went  to  Sandusky,  and  staid  there 
through  the  summer,  but  in  the  fall  we  came  back,  and 
we  lived  one  year  at  Niagara.  I  recollect  that  the  In 
dians  were  afraid  to  cross  above  the  Falls  on  account 
of  the  rapidity  of  the  water.  I  also  recollect  that  they 
had  a  machine  by  which  they  raised  goods  from  below 
the  Falls,  and  let  things  down."  This  was,  no  doubt,  a 
tackle  erected  by  the  English. 

"We  went  from  Niagara  near  Detroit,  where  we 
lived  three  years.  My  adopted  father  made  chairs, 
which  he  sold ;  he  also  played  on  the  fiddle,  and  fre 
quently  went  into  the  white  settlements  and  played, 
and  received  pay  for  it.  My  adopted  mother  made 
baskets  and  brooms,  which  she  sold.  The  British 
made  them  presents  of  ammunition  and  food,  which 
they  had  to  go  after  in  the  night. 

"In  the  spring  we  went  down  to  a  large  river — 
Detroit  Eiver — where  the  Indians  built  a  great  many 
bark  canoes.  When  they  were  finished  we  went  up 
Detroit  River,  where  we  remained  three  years. 

"  There  had  been  war  between  the  British  and 
Americans,  and  the  American  army  had  driven  the 


FRANCES  SLOCUM.  277 

Indians  around  the  fort  where  I  was  adopted.  In 
their  fights,  the  Indians  used  to  bring  home  scalps.  I 
do  not  know  how  many.  When  peace  was  made  be 
tween  the  British  and  Americans,  we  lived  by  hunt 
ing,  fishing,  and  raising  corn.  The  reason  why  we 
staid  here  so  long  was  that  we  heard  the  Americans 
had  destroyed  all  our  villages  and  corn-fields." 

Frances  had  now  been  among  the  Indians  eight 
years,  and  was  thirteen  years  of  age.  She  had  been 
tenderly  treated,  and  taught  that  the  white  people  were 
enemies  to  the  Indians.  She  had  adopted  the  Indians 
for  her  people,  and  had  a  dread  of  being  recaptured 
and  taken  back  among  the  whites.  She  was  taught 
the  use  of  the  bow  and  arrow,  and  became  expert  in 
all  the  wild  sports  and  athletic  exercises  of  the  squaws. 
She  was  a  successful  hunter.  She  would  mount  an  In 
dian  pony,  and  gallop  through  the  woods  with  almost 
the  speed  of  the  wild  deer,  and  with  the  spirit  of  the 
most  romantic  princess  of  the  Western  forests. 

"  Soft  was  the  light  that  filled  her  eye, 

And  grace  was  in  her  every  motion ; 
Her  tone  was  touching,  like  the  sigh 

When  young  love  first  becomes  devotion. 
Among  a  savage  people,  still 

She  kept  from  savage  moods  apart, 
And  thought  of  crime  and  dream  of  ill 
Had  never  swayed  her  maiden  heart." 

Pocahontas,  by  W.  G.  SIMMS. 

"  She'd  often  wander  in  the  wood,  or  roam 
The  wilderness  in  quest  of  curious  flowers, 
Or  nest  of  bird  unknown,  till  eve  approach'cl, 
And  hemm'd  her  in  the  shade." 

LOGAN. 

But  let  us  proceed  with  our  story. 


278  WYOMING. 


EEMOVES  TO  FORT  WAYNE. 

"After  three  years,  my  family  and  another  Dela 
ware  family  removed  to  Fort  Wayne,  after  Wayne's 
victory.  I  do  not  know  where  the  other  Indians  went. 
This  was  now  our  home,  and  I  suppose  we  lived  there 
thirty  years.  We  lived  on  Eel  Eiver,  three  miles  from 
Fort  Wayne.  I  was  there  at  the  time  of  Harmer's 
defeat.  At  the  time  when  this  battle  was  fought,  the 
women  and  children  were  all  made  to  run  north.  I 
do  not  know  whether  the  Indians  took  any  prisoners, 
or  brought  home  any  scalps  at  this  time.  After  the 
battle  they  all  scattered  and  returned  to  their  homes. 
I  then  returned  to  Fort  Wayne  again.  The  Indians 
who  returned  from  this  battle  were  Delawares,  Pota- 
watomies,  Shawnees,  and  Miamis." 

"  There  stood  the  Indian  hamlet,  there  the  lake 

Spread  its  blue  sheet  that  flashed  with  many  an  oar ; 
Where  the  brown  otter  plunged  him  from  the  brake, 
And  the  deer  drank :  as  the  light  gale  flew  o'er, 
The  twinkling  maize-field  wrestled  on  the  shore. 

And  while  that  spot,  so  wild,  and  lone,  and  fair, 
A  look  of  glad  and  innocent  beauty  wore, 

And  peace  was  in  the  earth  and  in  the  air, 
The  warrior  lit  the  pile,  and  bound  his  captive  there. 

"Not  unavenged,  the  foeman  from  the  wood 

Beheld  the  deed;   and  when  the  midnight  shade 
Was  stillest,  gorged  his  battle-axe  with  blood ; 

All  died  :  the  wailing  babe,  the  shrieking  maid ; 
And  in  the  flood  of  fire  that  scathed  the  glade, 

The  roofs  went  down ;  but  deep  the  silence  grew, 
When  on  the  dewy  woods  the  day-beam  played ; 

No  more  the  cabin  smokes  rose  wreathed  and  blue, 
And  ever  by  their  lake  lay  moored  the  light  canoe." 

BRYANT. 

"I  was  always  treated  kindly  by  the  Delawares; 


FRANCES  SLOCUM.  279 

and  while  I  lived  with  them  I  was  married  to  a  Dela 
ware  by  the  name  of  Little  Turtle.  He  afterward  left  me 
and  went  west  of  the  Mississippi.  I  would  not  go  with 
him.  My  old  mother  staid  here,  and  I  chose  to  stay 
with  her.  My  adopted  father  could  talk  English,  and 
so  could  I  while  he  lived.  It  has  now  been  a  long 
time  since  I  forgot  it  all. 

"  The  Delawares  and  Miamis  were  then  living  to 
gether  as  one  people.  I  was  afterward  married  to  a 
Miami,  a  chief,  whom  the  white  people  called  '  The 
Deaf  Man.'  His  Indian  name  was  She-poe-ken-ah. 
"We  came  to  this  reserve  about  twenty -four  years  ago. 
I  had  no  children  by  my  first  husband,  but  by  the  last 
one  I  had  four — two  boys  and  two  girls.  My  boys 
died  while  they  were  young ;  my  girls  are  still  living, 
and  are  here  with  me."  At  the  period  of  the  last 
visit  her  husband  had  been  dead  six  years.  As  to  the 
Indian  wars,  she  says : 

"I  can  not  tell  much  about  the  Indian  wars  with 
the  whites,  which  were  so  common  and  so  bloody.  I 
well  remember  a  battle  and  a  defeat  of  the  Americans 
at  Fort  Washington,  which  is  now  Cincinnati.  I  re 
member  how  Wayne  and  '  Mad  Anthony'  drove  the 
Indians  away,  and  built  the  fort.  The  Indians  then 
scattered  all  over  the  country,  and  lived  upon  game, 
which  was  very  plenty.  After  this  they  encamped  on 
Ked  River.  After  peace  was  made  we  all  returned 
to  Fort  Wayne,  and  received  provisions  from  the 
Americans,  and  there  I  lived  a  long  time.  I  had  re 
moved  with  my  family  to  the  Missisinewa  Eiver  some 
time  before  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe.  The  Indians 
who  fought  in  that  battle  were  Kickapoos,  Potawato- 
mies,  and  Shawnees.  The  Miamis  were  not  there.  I 
heard  of  the  battle  on  the  Missisinewa ;  but  my  hus- 


280  WYOMING. 

band  could  not  hear,  and  never  went  into  the  wars, 
and  I  did  not  know  much  about  it." 

The  day  after  their  arrival  at  Peru,  Frances  was 
prevailed  upon  to  have  her  likeness  taken.  An  artist 
was  sent  for  from  Logansport,  but,  for  some  reason,  he 
did  not  arrive  as  was  expected,  and  the  consequence 
was  that  the  adieu  was  not  so  formal  as  it  would  have 
been.  Frances  went  home  with  Brouriette  and  her 
daughter,  expecting  to  return,  and,  after  having  her 
portrait  taken,  to  bid  the  visitors  a  formal  farewell. 
After  waiting  two  or  three  days,  the  party  became 
weary  and  set  off  for  home.  Arrangements  were, 
however,  made  for  the  portrait,  and  the  painting  was 
executed.  Subsequently  another  was  taken,  and  both 
are  in  the  possession  of  her  friends  in  Wilkesbarre. 

Before  leaving,  Frances  made  a  serious  effort  to  pre 
vail  upon  her  brother  to  come  and  live  with  her.  Not 
to  be  outdone  by  her  brothers,  who  had  made  her  such 
liberal  offers  if  she  would  come  and  live  with  them, 
she  told  Mr.  Slocum  that,  if  he  would  come  to  her  vil 
lage  and  live,  she  would  give  him  half  of  her  land,  and 
this  would  have  been  no  mean  present.  Her  sincerity 
and  earnestness  in  this  proposition  were  affecting.  No 
arrangement  could  be  made  by  which  the  brother  and 
sister — so  long  separated,  and  to  each  other  as  dead, 
and  now  so  mysteriously  brought  together  and  united 
in  affection — could  spend  their  remnant  of  life  in  the 
same  neighborhood.  They  both  bowed  submissively 
to  what  was  evidently  the  order  of  Providence,  and 
tried  to  adjust  their  feelings  to  the  separation. 

The  Indian  daughter  took  a  fancy  to  Harriet  Slo 
cum,  dressed  her  in  beads  and  wampum,  and  said  she 
looked  like  her  daughter,  who  had  been  cruelly  pois- 


FRANCES  SLOCUM.  281 

oned.  "Would  I  not  make  a  nice  squaw?"  asked 
Harriet.  "  Yes,  beautiful  squaw ;  will  you  be  in  the 
place  of  my  daughter,  and  live  with  me  ?"  On  being 
told  that  her  friends  could  not  spare  her,  she  was  sat 
isfied.  She  seemed  sensible  that  she  was  asking  too 
much ;  but,  could  the  boon  have  been  granted,  it  would 
have  been  most  grateful  to  her  heart. 

Frances,  Brouriette,  and  his  wife  finally  gave  their 
white  relatives  the  parting  hand,  expressing  their  high 
gratification  with  the  visit  and  the  affection  which 
they  had  manifested  for  them  in  coming  so  far  to  see 
them. 

But,  before  the  final  adieu,  Captain  Brouriette  gave 
Mr.  Slocum  the  most  ample  assurances  that  he  would 
take  good  care  of  his  mother-in-law  while  she  lived. 
He  said  he  had  never  left  her  but  once,  and  that  was 
because  of  a  disagreement  with  his  brother-in-law,  who 
was  a  drunken,  lazy  Indian,  and  would  do  nothing  for 
himself  or  any  one  else.  He  was  now  dead,  and  they 
lived  in  the  utmost  harmony. 

They  shook  hands  and  parted,  expecting  to  meet 
in  a  day  or  two ;  but  this  was  the  final  adieu.  Mr. 
Slocum  and  his  daughters  returned  from  this  most  in 
teresting  visit  via  Indianapolis,  Cincinnati,  and  Pitts- 
burg.  They  brought  home  many  little  remembrances 
of  their  Indian  relatives. 

ACT  OF  CONGRESS  IN  FAVOR  OF  FRANCES. 

"When  arrangements  were  being  made  by  the  gov 
ernment  to  settle  the  Indians  of  Indiana  west  of  the 
Mississippi,  Mr.  Slocurn  did  not  forget  his*sister.  He 
petitioned  Congress  in  her  behalf,  and  succeeded  in  en 
listing  powerful  support.  Hon.  B.  A.  Bidlack  took 
charge  of  the  bill,  and  John  Quincy  Adams  made  one 


282  WYOMING. 

of  his  strong  speeches  in  its  support,  and  it  became  a 
law.  The  bill  provided  that  one  mile  square  of  the 
reserve,  embracing  the  house  and  improvements  of 
Frances  Slocum,  should  be  granted  in  fee  to  her  and 
her  heirs  forever.  She  remembered  the  kindness,  and 
went  down  to  the  grave,  in  a  goodly  old  age,  with  the 
gratitude  of  a  warm  heart,  and  wishing  many  blessings 
upon  her  good  brother. 

LAST  DAYS  OF  FRANCES  SLOCUM. 

The  Miamis  had  removed  "West,  in  accordance  with 
the  policy  of  the  government.  Frances  Slocum  was 
surrounded  by  white  settlers,  of  whom  she  naturally 
entertained  suspicions  which  were  not  calculated  to 
promote  the  comfort  and  quiet  of  her  latter  days.  She 
was,  in  fact,  suspicious  that  she  and  her  family  might 
at  last  be  robbed  of  the  home  to  which  the  govern 
ment  had  given  them  a  title.  She  sent  word  to  her 
brother  Joseph  to  come  and  protect  her  from  the  frauds 
which  she  apprehended  were  likely  to  be  practiced 
upon  her.  As  the  best  that  could  be  done  for  her,  a 
son  of  Isaac  Slocum  took  charge  of  her  business.  But 
all  her  old  associates  were  gone,  and  a  new  order  of 
things  was  established  around  her.  Despairing  of  the 
return  of  the  scenes  of  the  past,  she  sighed  for  release 
from  the  associations  and  vices  of  civilization.  Con 
trasting  the  freedom  and  the  romance  of  savage  life 
with  the  thirst  of  gain  and  the  overreaching  policy  of 
a  white  frontier  settlement,  she  thought  she  had  truly 
fallen  upon  evil  times,  and  was  really  weary  of  life. 
The  prestige  of  her  character  and  her  name  had  de 
parted  with  her  tribe,  and  she  was  looked  upon  simply 
as  a  favored  old  Indian  woman,  whose  claims  to  equal 
rights  with  her  white  neighbors  were  entitled  to  very 
little  respect. 


FRANCES  SLOCUM.  283 

During  her  last  sickness,  which  was  brief,  Frances 
Slocum  refused  all  medical  aid,  declaring  that,  as  her 
people  were  gone,  and  she  was  surrounded  by  stran 
gers,  she  wished  to  live  no  longer.  She  departed  this 
life  March  9th,  1847.  She  had  Christian  burial,  a 
prayer  being  made  at  her  house,  and  her  remains  con 
ducted  to  the  grave  by  a  clergyman.  Her  daughter, 
the  wife  of  Captain  Brouriette,  overcome  with  toil  and 
grief,  followed  her  mother  to  the  Spirit-land  four  days 
subsequently. 

Frances  Slocum  sleeps  upon  a  beautiful  knoll  near 
the  confluence  of  the  Missisinewa  and  the  Wabash,  by 
the  side  of  her  chief  and  her  children,  where  her  ash 
es  will  rest  in  peace  until  the  morning  of  the  resur 
rection.  The  tenacity  with  which  she  clung  to  that 
spot,  and  her  obstinate  refusal  to  leave  it  for  the  asso 
ciation  of  civil  society,  is  one  of  the  prominent  facts  in 
her  wonderful  story. 


284  WYOMING. 


IX. 

QUEEN  ESTHER'S  KOCK. 

THIS  celebrated  rock  is  situated  east  of  a  direct  line 
between  the  monument  and  the  site  of  Fort  Winter- 
moot,  on  the  brow  of  the  high,  steep  bank  which  is 
supposed  to  have  been  the  ancient  bank  of  the  river. 


The  rock  is  a  boulder,  and  is  a  sort  of  conglomerate, 
principally  composed  of  quartz.  It  rises  about  eight 
een  inches  above  the  surface  of  the  ground.  A  por 
tion  of  this  rock  is  of  a  reddish  color,  which  some  have 
been  credulous  enough  to  believe  to  be  a  blood-stain ; 
hence  the  name  of  "Bloody  Kock,"  by  which  it  is 
known  in  the  neighborhood.  This  stain — like  that, 
with  equal  credulity,  which  is  supposed  to  have  been 
made  by  the  blood  of  Kizzio  upon  the  floor  of  Ilolyrood 
Palace — is  believed  to  be  judicially  and  miraculously 


QUEEN  ESTHER'S  KOCK.  285 

indelible.  We  need  not  say  that  this  is  a  mere  fancy, 
while  it  is  an  undoubted  historical  fact  that  blood  was 
spilled  upon  this  rock. 

Perhaps  the  night  after  the  battle,  sixteen  prisoners 
were  arranged  in  a  circle  around  the  rock  in  question, 
to  be  sacrificed  by  Queen  Esther  to  the  manes  of  a 
son  who  had  been  killed  by  a  scouting-party  before 
the  battle.  According  to  a  usage  of  savage  warfare,  it 
was  the  right,  if  not,  indeed,  the  duty  of  the  old  queen 
to  take  sweet  vengeance  upon  the  prisoners  which 
had  fallen  into  her  hands  for  the  loss  of  her  son. 
Armed  with  a  death-mall  and  hatchet,  she  now  as 
sumes  the  office  of  executioner,  according  to  the  most 
approved  Indian  forms.  The  prisoners,  one  after  an 
other,  were  seated  upon  the  rock,  held  by  two  strong 
Indians,  while  the  priestess  of  the  bloody  rites  which 
were  performed  upon  that  fatal  altar  chanted  a  savage 
dirge  or  Indian  war-song,  and  raising  the  death-mall 
with  both  hands,  dashed  out  the  brains  of  the  helpless 
victim,  or  with  one  hand  buried  her  hatchet  in  his 
skull. 

This  was  a  terrible  tragedy,  but  we  are  happy  to 
know  that  there  was  one  relieving  circumstance  con 
nected  with  it.  There  were  two  men  in  that  devoted 
circle  possessed  of  strong  will,  iron  nerve,  and  almost 
lightning  agility.  Lebbeus  Hammond  and  Joseph  El 
liott  were  near  each  other,  and  their  turn  was  about  to 
come.  Eleven  had  been  sacrificed,  and  Hammond's 
brother  was  seated  upon  the  rock,  and  the  ceremony 
was  proceeding:  Hammond's  soul  was  stirred  to  the 
very  bottom.  As  all  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  bloody 
tragedy,  Hammond,  in  a  low  tone,  muttered,  "Let's 
try."  In  an  instant  they  were  both  free:  they  had 
taken  their  keepers  by  surprise.  With  a  sudden  jerk 


286  WYOMING. 

and  spring  the  bloodhounds  that  held  them  were 
shaken  off,  and,  like  two  wild  deer,  they  bounded 
down  the  bank.  They  expected  to  be  shot  dead,  but 
such  was  the  confusion  of  the  moment  that  the  Indians 
simply  trusted  to  their  legs.  Elliott,  in  relating  the  story 
to  a  friend  who  related  it  to  us,  said  he  was  surprised 
that  they  were  not  fired  upon.  Their  line  of  flight  di 
verged,  a  circumstance  which  the  Indians  did  not  ob 
serve.  Hammond  steered  up  the  river,  and,  glancing 
his  eye  over  his  shoulder,  he  discovered  that  the  In 
dians  were  shaping  their  course  with  the  expectation 
of  intercepting  the  fugitives  in  the  direction  of  Forty 
Fort.  He  then  turned  still  more  directly  up  stream. 
He  had,  however,  not  proceeded  far  before  a  root 
caught  his  toe,  and  he  was  plunged  headlong  down 
the  bank  under  a  tree-top  with  thick  foliage,  where  he 
immediately  judged  that  he  was  more  secure  than  he 
would  be  upon  the  run. 

When  the  Indians  returned  from  the  pursuit  of  El 
liott,  they  scoured  the  hill  side  in  search  of  Hammond. 
As  they  were  peeping  here  and  there  among  the  brush 
and  old  logs,  he  tried  to  hold  his  breath  and  to  keep 
his  heart  still,  but  in  spite  of  him  his  breathing  seemed 
to  amount  to  a  roar,  and  the  beating  of  his  heart  to  be 
like  the  pounding  of  a  beetle.  Once  he  thought  they 
saw  him,  and  for  a  moment  his  heart  sunk.  He  was 
soon  measurably  relieved  by  observing  that  the  In 
dians  seemed  to  give  up  the  pursuit  as  hopeless,  and 
directed  their  course  toward  the  fatal  rock. 

Hammond  remained  in  his  concealment  until  all 
was  still,  and  then  swam  the  river,  crossing  Monocasy 
Island,  and  found  his  way  to  the  fort  at  "Wilkesbarre. 
There  he  found  his  friend  Elliott.  He  had  swum  the 
river  to  the  bar  011  the  lower  point  of  Monocasy  Isl- 


QUEEN  ESTHER'S  ROCK.  287 

and,  as  he  thought,  all  the  distance  under  water,  when, 
rising  above  the  water,  he  received  a  shot  in  his  shoul 
der  which  seriously  disabled  him.  On  reaching  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river  he  providentially  found  a 
horse,  which  he  managed  to  ride,  using  the  bark  of  a 
hickory  sapling  for  a  bridle.  Here  Dr.  Smith  dressed 
his  wound,  and  the  next  morning  he  went  down  the  riv 
er,  with  his  wife  and  child,  in  a  canoe  managed  by  a  lad, 
and  found  sympathy  among  kind  friends  at  Catawissa. 
These  two  brave  fellows  lived  long  to  enjoy  their  well- 
earned  reputation  for  good  conduct  under  the  most  ap 
palling  circumstances. 

It  has  been  made  a  question  whether  indeed  Queen 
Esther  was  the  savage  executioner  of  the  prisoners  at 
"Bloody  Eock,"  and  there  are  some  circumstances 
which  would  really  seem  to  militate  against  such  a  sup 
position.  Her  strong  expressions  in  favor  of  peace  to 
Esquire  Sutton  and  Colonel  Jenkins,  and  the  deep  sym 
pathies  for  the  settlers  which  she  manifested  when  visit 
ed  at  her  camp  by  Mrs.  Bennet  but  a  short  time  before 
seem  to  indicate  a  degree  of  civilization  and  a  spirit  of 
humanity  which  would  render  improbable  the  part  at 
tributed  to  her  in  the  awful  tragedy  at  Bloody  Eock. 
In  addition  to  all  this,  Colonel  Stone  considers  u  the 
statement  improbable"  upon  more  general  grounds. 
He  says,  "  Catharine  Montour,  sometimes  called  Queen 
Esther,  was  a  half-breed,  who  had  been  well  educated 
in  Canada.  Her  reputed  father  was  one  of  the  French 
governors  of  that  province  when  appertaining  to  the 
crown  of  France,  and  she  herself  was  a  lady  of  com 
parative  refinement.  She  was  much  caressed  in  Phil 
adelphia,  and  mingled  in  the  best  society ;  hence  the 
remotest  belief  can  not  be  entertained  that  she  was  the 
Hecate  of  that  fell  night." 


288  WYOMING. 

All  this  seems  very  fair,  but  it  is  not  only  against 
the  best  established  traditions  of  the  times,  but  the 
clearest  testimony  of  contemporaries.  Colonels  Deni- 
son  and  Franklin  and  Mrs.  Myers  agree  in  sanction 
ing  "the  statement."  Mr.  Miner  represents  Queen 
Esther  as  entering  Forty  Fort  at  the  head  of  the  In 
dian  warriors.  She  here  met  Colonel  Denison,  and, 
drawling  out  his  name,  she  insultingly  said,  "Colonel 
Denison,  you  told  me  to  bring  more  Indians  ;  see  here, 
I  have  brought  you  all  these."  "  Be  silent,"  said  Col 
onel  Butler ;  "  women  should  be  seen,  but  not  heard." 

The  historian  of  Tryon  County,  Hon.  William  "W. 
Campbell,  says,  "  Catrina  Montour,  who  might  well  bo 
termed  a  fury,  acted  a  conspicuous  part  in  this  tragedy. 
She  followed  in  the  train  of  the  victorious  army,  ran 
sacking  the  heaps  of  the  slain,  and,  with  her  arms  cov 
ered  with  gore,  barbarously  murdering  the  wounded, 
who  in  vain  supplicated  for  their  lives." — See  Border 
Warfare  of  New  York,  p.  305. 

Another  illustration  is  given  by  Mr.  Campbell  of  the 
character  of  this  woman.  One  of  her  sons  made  Mr. 
Cannon  a  prisoner  on  the  destruction  of  Cherry  Yalley. 
He  was  an  old  man,  and  was  severely  wounded  with  a 
musket  ball.  When  Kate  Montour  saw  him  she  fell 
into  a  rage,  and  reproached  her  son  for  his  humanity. 
"  Why,"  said  she,  "  did  you  bring  that  old  man  a  pris 
oner  ?  Why  did  you  not  kill  him  when  you  first  took 
him?"— Ibid.,  p. 219. 

Elliott  and  Hammond  lived  long  after  the  conclu 
sion  of  the  war.  They  received  a  pension  from  the 
government,  and  were  universally  considered  men  of 
honor  and  veracity.  These  men,  who  so  narrowly  es 
caped  the  death-mall  or  the  hatchet — who  witnessed  a 
portion  of  the  bloody  ceremonies  which  Queen  Esther 


QUEEN  ESTHER'S  ROCK.  289 

is  charged  in  the  popular  belief  of  the  times  with  hav 
ing  performed  with  her  own  hands,  give  their  sanction 
to  the  common  opinion.  These  facts  are  not  easily 
disposed  of.  The  name  of  the  supposed  "  Hecate  of 
that  fell  night"  being  "  Catharine  Montour" — her  be 
ing  "a  half-breed" — her  having  been  "educated  in 
Canada" — her  "refinement" — her  having  been  "ca 
ressed  in  Philadelphia,"  and  "  mingling  in  the  best  so 
ciety"  there  in  1744,  may  have  furnished  ground  of 
doubt  with  regard  to  the  truth  of  the  story  of  "  Bloody 
Eock"  to  the  mind  of  Colonel  Stone,  but  to  minds  less 
predisposed  to  vindicate  the  Indian  character  from  the 
charge  of  inhuman  cruelties,  will  do  but  little  toward 
unsettling  the  best  established  traditionary  belief  and 
the  positive  statements  of  contemporaries,  and  even  of 
eye-witnesses. 

The  history  of  "Kate  Montour,"  as  a  whole,  fur 
nishes  no  evidence  of  the  improbability  of  the  story 
of  "  Bloody  Rock."  Indeed,  her  savage  nature  exhib 
ited  itself  on  other  occasions  in  a  manner  which  proves 
but  too  clearly  that  it  had  not  all  been  eradicated  by 
the  refined  education  which  she  received  "  in  Canada." 
— See  Lossintfs  Field-Book  of  the  Revolution,  vol.  i.,  p. 
358. 

The  horror  in  which  this  same  "Catharine  Mon 
tour"  was  held  is  seen  in  the  treatment  which  she  re 
ceived  from  Colonels  Hartley  and  Butler,  and  General 
Sullivan.  In  October,  after  the  Wyoming  massacre, 
Colonel  Hartley,  of  the  Pennsylvania  line,  joined  Colo 
nel  Z.  Butler,  and  they  proceeded  with  130  men  to 
Sheshequin,  where  they  met  the  Indians  in  a  battle, 
burned  the  Indian  settlement,  and  destroyed  Queen 
Esther's  palace,  and  laid  waste  her  plantation.  And 
when  General  Sullivan  proceeded  to  the  Lake  country, 

N 


290  WYOMING. 

the  first  town  he  ordered  destroyed  was  Catharine,  at 
the  head  of  the  Seneca  Lake,  the  town  which  was 
named  in  honor  of  Catharine  Montour,  and  in  which 
she  resided.  These  proceedings  seem  consonant  with 
the  idea  that  Catharine  Montour  deserved  special  chas 
tisement. 

It  is  not  doubted  but  that  this  "  half-breed"  woman, 
uninfluenced  by  the  war  spirit,  had  amiable  qualities, 
and  a  certain  polish  in  her  manners.  But  the  sound 
of  the  battle  and  the  sight  of  human  gore  aroused  the 
demon  within  her.  She  who  u  shed  tears"  at  the  pros 
pect  of  war,  when  it  began  to  rage  entered  into  its 
spirit.  She  had  lost  a  son  in  the  expedition,  and  she 
must  avenge  his  death,  or,  in  the  estimation  of  her  peo 
ple,  be  "  no  good  squaw."  Her  feelings  of  resentment 
and  her  reputation  with  the  Indians  united  to  urge  her 
on,  if,  indeed,  she  needed  any  urging,  to  acts  of  savage 
barbarity.  Then,  if  she  had  not  been  predisposed  to 
take  a  part  in  the  murder  and  plunder  of  the  settlers, 
why  was  she  on  hand  at  all  ?  Her  age,  if  no  other  rea 
son — for  she  must  have  been  near  eighty — would  have 
justified  her  remaining  at  home,  instead  of  following 
Butler  and  his  Indians  and  Tories  in  a  murderous  on 
slaught  upon  a  defenseless  settlement. 

Upon  the  whole,  we  see  no  good  reason  for  doubt 
ing  the  part  attributed  to  Catharine  Montour,  or  Queen 
Esther,  in  the  affair  of  Bloody  Eock,  in  the  popular 
traditions  of  Wyoming.  A  little  examination  into  her 
character  will  explain  the  mystery  of  her  being,  under 
some  circumstances,  almost  a  saint,  and  under  others  a 
very  fiend. 


THE  BENNETS  AND  HAMMOND.  291 


X. 

CAPTIVITY    AND    ESCAPE    OF    THOMAS    AND    ANDKEW 
BENNET  AND   LEBBEUS   HAMMOND. 

"  Near  where  Meshoppen  meets  our  river, 

When  in  the  quiet  night 
Through  trees  we  saw  the  star-beams  quiver, 

We  nerved  us  for  the  fight. 
Where  stood  the  arms  we  quickly  drew, 

No  gentle  blows  to  strike  or  die  ; 
Two  wounded  fled,  the  rest  we  slew, 
In  ghastly  death  we  saw  them  lie : 
E'en  now  I  see  them  glare,  as  in  cold  death  they  lie." 

Susquehanna,  an  unpublished  Poem. 

IN  1779  General  Sullivan  had  pursued  the  Indians 
with  the  scourge  of  war,  and  driven  them  west  of  the 
Genesee  Eiver.  Colonel  John  Butler  and  Brant  had 
been  worsted  at  every  point,  and  had  fled  to  Niagara. 
It  was  obvious  enough  to  the  fierce  braves  that  it  was 
in  vain  to  attempt  to  meet  the  Americans  in  force  in 
the  open  field,  but  they  shrewdly  concluded  to  take 
vengeance  upon  them  by  visiting  their  settlements 
in  small  parties,  and  by  stealthy  approaches  to  take 
property  and  prisoners,  or  murder  and  scalp,  as  the 
case  might  be.  They  consequently,  in  small  gangs, 
followed  down  General  Sullivan  upon  the  very  heels 
of  his  army,  and  he  had  no  sooner  disposed  the  garri 
son  at  Wilkesbarre,  and  crossed  the  mountain  with 
his  army,  than  the  work  of  plunder  and  murder  was 
resumed  on  the  north  and  the  west  branches  of  the 
Susquehanna  and  on  the  Delaware.  In  some  instances 
these  parties  were  fearfully  successful,  and  in  others 
they  met  with  a  terrible  retribution. 


292  WYOMING. 

The  following  is  a  true  account,  communicated  by 
the  parties  engaged,  of  one  of  these  savage  expeditions, 
and  the  tragedy  with  which  it  wound  up. 

On  the  27th  of  March,  1780,  Thomas  Bennet,  with 
his  son  Andrew,  a  lad  of  thirteen  or  fourteen  years  of 
age,  commenced  plowing  on  the  flats  on  land  now 
owned  by  Elij  ah  Shoemaker,  of  Kingston.  They  took 
their  guns  with  them,  and  tried  to  shoot  some  ducks 
in  the  river.  Hiding  their  guns,  they  commenced 
their  work.  Their  team  consisted  of  a  yoke  of  oxen 
and  a  horse,  the  boy  riding  the  horse.  They  had  been 
watched  by  four  Indians,  who  stole  up  to  the  place 
where  the  guns  were  concealed  and  broke  them.  They 
then  sprang  upon  Mr.  Bennet  and  his  son,  and  iiurried 
them  away. 

On  the  same  morning,  Lebbeus  Hammond  had  left 
"Wilkesbarre  in  pursuit  of  a  fine  horse,  which  he  found 
on  a  place  he  had  occupied  a  few  miles  up  the  river, 
on  the  west  side.  He  made  a  bridle  of  hickory  withes, 
sand  was  proceeding  homeward,  when  he  saw  moccasin 
tracks.  He  was  much  alarmed,  and  expected  every 
minute  to  be  fired  upon.  All  at  once  two  Indians 
leaped  from  the  bushes,  and  one  seized  his  horse,  while 
the  other  pulled  him  off.  After  a  brief  consultation 
in  Indian,  which  Hammond  did  not  understand,  they 
led  him  a  short  distance  into  the  woods  and  pinioned 
his  arms,  and  then  tied  him  to  a  tree.  In  this  situa 
tion  they  left  him  for  about  an  hour,  when  they  re 
turned  with  four  others,  having  Bennet  and  his  son  as 
prisoners.  Their  greetings  were  such  as  might  have 
been  expected.  Hammond  had  made  an  almost  mi 
raculous  escape  from  "  Bloody  Rock,"  and  Bennet  was 
a  notorious  patriot,  and  their  prospects  now  were  any 
thing  but  agreeable. 


THE  BENNETS  AND  HAMMOND.  293 

An  Indian  mounted  Hammond's  horse,  but  when 
they  came  to  the  marsh,  which  lies  between  the  river 
and  the  mountain,  he  ran  the  horse  into  the  mire  and 
left  him  there.  The  Indians  hurried  on  with  their 
prisoners  over  the  mountain,  and  lodged  that  night 
near  the  foot  of  "  Cummings's  Pond,"  in  what  is  now 
Northmoreland.  The  Indians  evidently  did  not  know 
the  prisoners,  for  they  left  them  unbound ;  and  Bennet 
was  for  attempting  to  escape,  but  Hammond  thought 
it  not  possible  to  succeed,  and  the  idea  was  given  up. 
The  next  day  they  proceeded  on  to  Bowman's  Creek, 
and  when  they  came  into  "the  green  woods"  they 
found  the  snow  "  waistband  deep."  Of  course  it  was 
laborious  traveling,  especially  for  a  man  of  years  like 
Mr.  Bennet.  But  the  party  pushed  on,  and  made  what 
progress  they  could.  Occasionally  one  of  the  Indians 
would  yell  horribly,  as  though  he  wished  to  attract 
the  attention  of  another  party.  At  length  they  met  a 
party  of  about  forty  Indians,  commanded  by  a  white 
man — a  Tory,  of  course.  An  old  Indian  belonging  to 
the  party  sung  out,  "  Ah!  old  Bennet;  I'd  rather  see 
your  scalp." 

Some  of  the  Indians  fell  back  and  held  a  council, 
while  the  Tory  asked  Bennet  many  questions  with  re 
gard  to  the  situation  of  the  fort,  the  number  of  fight 
ing  men,  the  number  of  inhabitants  in  the  settlement, 
and  the  like.  He  was  told  that  there  were  three  hund 
red  fighting  men  in  the  fort,  that  they  were  well 
armed  and  provisioned,  and  that  they  had  cannon,  and 
that  the  settlers  had  all  taken  refuge  there.  They  then 
concluded  to  strike  the  river  below  the  fort.  They 
divided  their  company  into  three  parties,  and  com 
mitted  various  outrages,  some  of  which  will  be  noticed 
in  another  connection.  Before  the  two  parties  sep- 


294  WYOMING. 

arated,  an  Indian  went  up  to  a  burnt  stump  and  black 
ened  his  face,  and  coming  up  to  Mr.  Bennet,  lie  directed 
his  attention  to  his  face,  with  the  significant  sentence, 
"  Ho !  Bennet."  The  movement  was  well  understood. 
One  of  the  party  of  Indians  which  they  met  joined 
their  party,  which  made  seven. 

That  night  the  prisoners  were  pappoosed,  that  is,  fast 
ened  down  with  poles  laid  across  them,  with  an  Indian 
on  each  end  of  the  poles.  The  prisoners  had  as  yet 
little  or  nothing  to  eat,  and  were  heavily  burdened 
with  the  luggage  belonging  to  the  Indians.  Of  course, 
they  were  worn  down,  and  nearly  ready  to  give  up 
and  die.  The  next  day — the  third  day  of  their  cap 
tivity — Mr.  Bennet  accidentally  pulled  a  button  from 
his  coat,  and  put  it  in  his  pocket.  They  were  now 
searched,  and  the  button  being  found,  Bennet  asked 
for  it,  saying  he  wished  to  put  it  on  again.  The  In 
dian  flung  it  away,  saying,  "Fool,  Bennet;  only  one 
day  more.  You  die  at  Wyallusing."  That  day  the 
Indians  hunted  for  deer,  and  starting  one,  left  the  pris 
oners  a  few  rods  behind,  and  gave  them  an  opportuni 
ty  to  consult.  Bennet  said  to  Hammond,  "  We  must 
rise  upon  them  to-night."  "  It  will  be  a  great  under 
taking,"  said  Hammond,  "but  it  may  be  our  last 
chance."  "They  will  kill  me,"  answered  Bennet, 
"and  I  know  not  with  what  cruel  tortures.  It  may 
be  we  shall  succeed,  and  if  we  do  we  will  again  return 
to  our  families ;  but  if  I  am  to  die,  I  will  sell  my  life 
as  dearly  as  possible."  In  the  consultation  the  boy 
said  little,  but  thought  much.  In  his  heart  he  said 
with  Percy, 

"  I  tender  you  my  service, 
Such  as  it  is,  being  tender,  raw,  and  young, 
Which  elder  days  shall  ripen  and  confirm 
To  more  approved  service  and  desert." 


THE   BENNETS   AND   HAMMOND.  295 

How  he  acted  his  part  will  appear  as  the  story  pro 
ceeds.  The  arrangement  was  made  by  the  time  the 
deer  was  taken,  and  the  party  proceeded  to  cross  the 
river.  They  came  up  to  the  Meshappen,  which  was 
much  swollen  by  the  melted  snow,  and  before  they 
could  venture  to  wade  the  stream  they  went  up  two 
or  three  miles. 

Having  crossed  the  creek,  and  descended  to  the 
place  of  encampment  near  the  Susquehanna,  they 
built  a  fire  under  a  shelving  rock.  While  the  Indians 
were  seated  around  the  fire,  roasting  and  eating  the 
meat  of  the  deer,  the  leader  of  the  party  entered  into 
conversation  with  Mr.  Hammond.  He  spoke  tolera 
ble  English,  and  seemed  particularly  free  and  commu 
nicative.  He  said  he  had  expected  to  meet  a  large 
company  of  Indians  at  that  place,  but  he  supposed 
they  had  encamped  farther  up  the  river.  He  then 
asked  him  various  questions  about  the  war.  "Would 
there  be  peace?  Did  the  white  men  wish  to  make 
peace  with  the  red  men  ?  He  had  been  told  so.  Did 
he  know  Lieutenant  Boyd  ?  Hammond  said  he  was 
intimately  acquainted  with  him.  In  September  Boyd 
had  been  sent  out  with  a  reconnoitring  party  by  Gen 
eral  Sullivan,  in  Grenesee,  and  had  been  surrounded  by 
a  superior  force,  taken,  and  most  barbarously  tortured. 
The  Indian  said  he  led  the  party  that  took  Boyd,  and 
he  further  said,  "  Boyd  brave  man — as  good  a  soldier 
as  ever  fought  against  the  red  man."  He  said  they 
tortured  Boyd,  cut  off  his  fingers  and  toes,  plucked  out 
his  eyes,  etc.,  "still  brave  Boyd  neither  asked  for  mer 
cy  nor  uttered  a  complaint."  Ah!  "brave  Boyd" 
knew  very  well  the  character  of  the  Indians. 

"You  may  as  well  go  stand  upon  the  beach, 
And  bid  the  main  flood  bate  his  usual  height ; 


296  WYOMING. 

You  may  as  well  use  question  with  a  wolf, 

Why  he  hath  made  the  ewe  bleat  for  the  lamb ; 

You  may  as  well  forbid  the  mountain  pines 

To  wag  their  high  tops,  and  to  make  no  noise 

When  they  are  fretted  with  the  gusts  of  heaven ; 

You  may  as  well  do  any  thing  most  hard, 

As  seek  to  soften  that — than  which  what's  harder  ? 

His  [Indian]  heart."  SHAKSPEARE. 

He  then  brought  a  sword  and  said,  "  There  Boyd's 
sword."  Hammond  took  the  sword,  and  discovered 
the  initials  of  Boyd's  name  stamped  on  the  blade  near 
the  hilt.  To  the  whole  tale  Hammond  listened  with 
out  expressing  the  slightest  emotion,  well  knowing  the 
consequences  of  the  least  manifestation  of  the  indigna 
tion  which  he  felt  burning  in  his  bosom. 

When  the  Indians  were  ready  to  lie  down,  they 
pappoosed  the  prisoners  as  on  the  preceding  night ;  then 
they  drew  their  blankets  over  their  heads  and  fell  into 
a  sound  sleep.  One  only  seemed  to  be  on  the  watch. 
About  midnight  Bennet  manifested  great  uneasiness, 
and  asked  to  get  up.  He  received  for  answer,  "  Most 
day — lie  down,  dog."  He  insisted  that  he  was  sick,  and 
must  get  up.  About  one  o'clock  the  Indians  all  got 
up  and  relieved  the  prisoners,  allowing  them  to  get 
up  and  walk  about.  Bennet  brought  wood  and  flung 
it  on  the  fire.  In  about  two  hours  all  the  Indians 
were  snoring  again  except  the  old  watchman,  and  he 
commenced  roasting  the  deer's  head,  first  sticking  it 
in  the  fire,  and  then  scraping  off  the  meat  with  his 
knife  and  eating  it.  Finally  the  old  fellow  began  to 
nod  over  his  early  breakfast.  Hammond  placed  him 
self  by  an  Indian  axe,  and  Andrew  Bennet,  the  boy, 
stood  by  the  guns,  which  were  stacked.  Both  watched 
the  movements  of  Mr.  Bennet,  who  was  poking  up  the 
brands.  He  had  on  a  long  great-coat,  and,  as  he  came 


THE   BENNETS  AND  HAMMOND.  299 

round  near  the  Indian,  he  cautiously  took  hold  of  a 
spontoon,  or  war-spear,  which  lay  by  his  side,  and 
stepped  back  with  the  instrument  covered  by  his  coat, 
holding  it  in  a  perpendicular  position  behind  him. 
When  he  had  reached  the  right  point  behind  the  In 
dian  he  plunged  it  through  him.  He  gave  a  tremen 
dous  jump  and  a  hideous  yell,  and  fell  upon  the  fire. 

"If  death  so  terrible  appear,  die  thou. 
With  cruel  spear  he  lanced  his  naked  side, 

Warm  streams  of  blood  his  arms  o'erflow  : 
His  panting  bosom  heaves  with  dying  signs, 

Hard  lab'ring  to  retain  departing  breath ; 
At  length  he  yields ;   black  darkness  veils  his  eyes, 

Sealed  in  eternal  sleep  of  iron  death." 

SAMUEL  WESLEY — Battle  of  the  Frogs  and  Mice. 

The  spontoon  was  so  firmly  fixed  in  the  body  of  the 
Indian  that  Bennet  was  obliged  to  abandon  it,  and  to 
use  a  gun  and  a  tomahawk  during  the  rest  of  the  fight. 
Hammond  used  the  axe,  dashing  it  into  the  head  which 
was  first  lifted.  The  old  Indian  who  had  given  the 
account  of  Boyd's  massacre  was  the  first  to  take  the 
alarm.  He  yelled  out  "  Chee-woo !  chee-woo  /"  when 
Hammond  buried  the  head  of  the  axe  in  his  brains, 
and  he  fell  headlong  into  the  fire.  The  next  blow 
took  an  Indian  on  the  side  of  the  neck,  just  below  the 
ear,  and  he  fell  upon  the  fire.  The  boy  snapped  three 
guns,  not  one  of  which  happened  to  be  loaded,  but  his 
operations  made  the  Indians  dodge  and  jump  straight 
under  Hammond's  axe,  or  the  breech  of  a  gun  which 
old  Mr.  Bennet  had  clubbed,  and  with  which  he  did 
terrible  execution.  A  stout  Indian  undertook  to  se 
cure  a  weapon  by  a  rush  upon  the  boy.  He  sprang 
upon  him  with  the  fury  of  a  demon,  his  eyes  seeming 
to  blaze,  when  the  brave  little  fellow  swung  the  breech 
of  a  gun,  and  buried  the  cock  in  the  top  of  his  head. 


300  WYOMING. 

Just  at  that  moment  the  only  two  Indians  remaining 
alive  took  to  their  heels,  when  Mr.  Bennet,  who  could 
throw  a  tomahawk  with  the  precision  and  force  of  any 
red-skin  on  the  frontier,  picked  up  a  tomahawk  and 
let  it  slip,  and  it  stuck  in  the  back  of  one  of  them. 
The  Indian  turned  round,  being  at  about  the  distance 
of  forty  feet,  and  hollowed  out  "  whoo,"  and  his  blanket 
fell  from  his  shoulders,  and  the  hatchet  was  left  with 
it  on  the  ground,  he  running  off  naked. 

It  was  an  awful  struggle,  but  it  was  not  long.  A 
minute  and  a  half  or  two  minutes,  and  the  work  was 
done.  Five  of  the  savages  were  piled  up  on  and  around 
the  fire,  and  two  had  fled  badly  wounded.  There  was 
a  great  contrast  between  the  present  appearance  of  the 
Indian  camp  under  the  rock,  and  that  same  camp  the 
evening  before,  when  the  bloodthirsty  savage  glo 
ried  in  the  barbarous  deed  of  cutting  off  Boyd's  fin 
gers  and  toes,  and  pulling  out  his  eyes ;  and  looked 
forward  to,  perhaps,  the  next  night,  when  he  would 
glut  his  savage  vengeance  in  a  similar  manner  upon 
the  prisoners,  who  were  obliged  to  listen  to  the  recital 
without  the  slightest  expression  of  sympathy  for  their 
brave  companion  and  friend.  The  prisoners  were  now 
free,  and  no  time  was  lost.  They  supplied  themselves 
with  good  moccasins  from  the  feet  of  the  dead  and 
dying  Indians,  and  took  guns  and  ammunition  for  de 
fense,  and  blankets  for  their  protection  from  the  cold, 
and  fifteen  minutes  from  the  moment  the  last  blow 
was  struck  they  were  upon  the  line  of  march  for  their 
home  and  friends. 

THE  FLIGHT  OF  HAMMOND  AND  THE  BENNETS. 

The  wounded  Indians  took  a  position  on  the  side 
of  the  mountain  where  they  had  a  fair  view  of  the 


THE  BENNETS  AND   HAMMOND.  301 

camp,  and  watched  the  movements  of  the  victors. 
When  they  had  gone,  the  poor  wretches  returned  to 
see  if  any  thing  remained  by  which  they  might  be 
saved  from  freezing  or  starvation.  Here  the  misera 
ble  savages  saw  their  companions,  with  whom  they 
had  shared  common  dangers  and  hardships,  all  gory 
and  cold  in  death.  They  laid  them  down  to  sleep 
the  stern,  cruel  masters  of  a  band  of  helpless  captives  ; 
they  awoke  to  see  their  own  weapons  in  the  hands  of 
those  captives,  and  to  feel  the  cold  steel  which  they 
had  often  stained  with  the  blood  of  the  white  man. 
Their  comrades  were  dead,  and  they  were  naked  and 
helpless.  This  was  a  terrible  lesson  to  the  infuriated 
savages,  and  one  they  did  not  forget. 

The  victors  made  their  calculations  to  take  as  straight 
a  course  as  possible  through  the  woods  to  the  "Ca- 
pouse  Meadows,"  near  where  the  nourishing  town  of 
Scranton  is  now  located,  avoiding  all  Indian  trails. 
They  pushed  on  up  the  Meshoppen  about  three  miles. 
The  stream  was  high  and  the  current  rapid ;  but  there 
was  no  alternative ;  they  must  wade  it,  if  possible,  at 
that  point.  The  two  men  took  the  boy  between  them, 
lest  the  angry  current  should  sweep  him  away,  and, 
with  tremendous  efforts,  succeeded  in  reaching  the 
other  shore.  The  morning  was  extremely  cold,  and 
they  had  proceeded  but  a  short  distance  before  their 
clothes  were  frozen  stiff.  They  had  brought  away  with 
them  no  provisions  of  any  kind,  and  such  was  the  ex 
citement  under  which  they  labored  that  they  scarcely 
felt  the  need  of  any.  They  toiled  on,  alternately  in 
spired  by  hope  and  depressed  with  fear.  The  danger 
was  that  a  fresh  party  of  Indians  might  get  upon  their 
track  and  overtake  them. 

They  had  reason  to  think  that  there  was  a  large 


302  WYOMING. 

party  above,  and  that  party  might  meet  the  wounded 
Indians,  and  learn,  the  story  of  the  slaughter  of  their 
fellows,  and  give  the  escaped  prisoners  chase,  or  they 
might  meet  a  party  crossing  over  from  the  Delaware 
to  the  Susquehanna,  and  in  either  event  there  would 
be  scarcely  a  ray  of  hope  of  their  escaping  the  most 
barbarous  tortures.  The  images  of  their  loved  ones 
at  home  stood  before  them  every  moment,  and  stimu 
lated  them  to  hold  on  their  way.  Every  step  brought 
them  nearer  the  goal,  and  enlarged  the  space  between 
them  and  the  scene  of  the  fearful  tragedy  at  Meshop- 
pen.  The  excitement  of  the  journey  was  little  inferior 
to  that  of  the  terrible  struggle  with  the  savages  through 
which  they  had  just  passed.  Such  fearful  tension  of 
the  nerves  can  not  long  be  endured,  but  for  a  time  will 
almost  perform  miracles.  They  were  hungry,  but 
thought  not  of  food  ;  weary,  but  there  was  no  place  of 
rest  short  of  friends  and  home.  From  early  dawn  till 
late  at  night  they  were  on  full  stretch,  heeding  noth 
ing  which  they  passed,  and  taking  no  note  of  time, 
simply  marking  the  ranges  of  the  hills  which  bordered 
the  large  streams  which  empty  into  the  Susquehanna 
from  the  east.  When  they  saw  the  last  range  peering 
up  in  the  distance,  they,  like  Paul  when  he  saw  "  the 
Three  Taverns,"  "thanked  God  and  took  courage." 

SAFE  AT  HOME  AGAIN, 

Mr.  Bennet  was  an  old  hunter  and  understood  the 
ground.  They  kept  their  course,  crossing  the  high 
ridges  and  deep  valleys  which  lay  across  their  path, 
generally  being  able  to  walk  on  the  frozen  crust,  un 
til,  on  the  second  day,  they  reached  the  south  side  of 
the  mountain  range  northwest  of  the  Lacka wanna  val 
ley.  Here  they  found  bare  ground,  and  now  they 
paused  occasionally  for  a  few  minutes  and  picked  win- 


THE   BENNETS   AND   HAMMOND.  303 

tergreen  to  eat.  They  pursued  their  journey  down 
the  side  of  the  mountain  to  the  mouth  of  the  Lacka- 
wanna,  and  so  found  their  way  to  the  fort  at  Wilkes- 
barre  after  an  absence  of  six  days.  The  appearance 
of  the  Bennets  and  Hammond  at  the  fort  was  an  oc 
casion  of  great  joy,  as  they  had  been  given  up  for 
lost.  When  the  excitement  passed  off,  there  was  little 
of  life  left  in  the  returned  captives.  Nursing  and  rest 
finally  brought  up  their  emaciated  forms  and  their  ex 
hausted  spirits  to  their  former  condition. 

Lieutenant  Boyd's  sword  was  brought  away  by 
Hammond,  and  was  afterward  presented  to  his  brother, 
Colonel  John  Boyd. 

As  to  the  two  Indians  who  escaped,  one  died  in 
the  woods  from  his  wounds  and  subsequent  expo 
sure,  and  the  one  tomahawked  by  Mr.  Bennet  was 
taken  up  in  a  state  of  insensibility  by  a  party  of 
Indians  coming  over  from  the  Delaware.  After  they 
had  restored  him  to  consciousness,  he  gave  an  account 
of  the  slaughter  of  the  Indians  by  Hammond  and  the 
Bennets,  which  was  communicated  to  Mr.  Bennet  in  a 
letter  from  Esquire  Consollus,  who  was  a  prisoner  in 
the  party,  and  listened  to  the  Indian's  story. 

Seven  years  after  the  terrible  scene  which  we  have 
described,  at  an  Indian  treaty  held  at  Kewtown,  Ham 
mond  saw  the  old  Indian  who  had  been  wounded  by 
the  tomahawk,  considerably  disfigured,  walking  with 
his  head  bowed.  Hammond  was  not  altogether.certain 
that  he  was  the  same  Indian,  and  requested  a  friend 
to  ask  him  what  was  the  cause  of  his  stooping.  When 
the  question  was  asked,  the  Indian  promptly  replied, 

"  A Yankee  tomahawk  me  at  Wyoming."  The 

poor  fellow  lingered  out  a  wretched  existence  for  sev 
eral  years,  and  then  was  drowned  in  crossing  the  Ca- 
nisteo,  falling  from  a  foot-bridge. 


304  WYOMING. 


XI. 

THE  CAPTUKE  AND  ESCAPE  OF  JONAH  ROGERS,  MOSES 
VAN  CAMPEN,  PETER  PENCE,  AND  ABRAM  PIKE.  ^ 

"To  kill  man-killer,  man  has  lawful  power, 
But  not  the  extended  license  to  devour." 

DKYDEN. 

IN  the  account  given  in  the  preceding  section  of 
the  capture  of  the  Bennets  and  Hammond,  it  is  stated 
that  they  met  a  large  party  of  Indians,  led  by  a  Tory, 
on  their  way  to  Wyoming.  This  company  divided 
into  three  parties,  and  made  their  descent  upon  the 
settlers  at  the  foot  of  the  valley,  and  on  the  west 
branch.  The  information  which  they  received  from 
Mr.  Bennet  induced  them  to  keep  clear  of  the  neigh 
borhood  of  the  fort,  which  was  what  he  designed  to 
accomplish  by  his  strong  representation  of  the  strength 
of  the  garrison  and  the  security  of  the  settlers. 

On  the  29th  of  March,  ten  of  these  Indians  in  a 
gang,  at  daybreak,  surprised  Upson  and  Kogers,  who 
were  camped  out,  making  sugar,  on  what  was  called 
"Stuart's  Flats,"  at  the  lower  extremity  of  Wyoming 
Yalley.  Upson  was  killed  and  scalped.  Mrs.  Myers 
says  the  Indians  poured  boiling  sap  down  his  throat 
as  he  lay  on  his  back  asleep,  with  his  mouth  open. 
This  account  was  extensively  circulated  and  believed, 
but  Rogers  says  he  was  shot.  Eogers  was  thirteen 
years  of  age,  and  has  left  a  written  statement  of  his 
captivity  and  deliverance,  which  is  now  before  us. 
He  was  taken  prisoner,  and  told  that  he  "must  go  to 
Niagara."  They  put  a  blanket  around  him,  and  ho 


ROGEKS,  VAN  CAMPEN,  PENCE,  AND   PIKE.      305 

submitted  with  apparent  cheerfulness,  saying,  "I  will 
go  and  be  an  Indian  too."  They  left  the  river,  and 
went  through  the  woods  to  "  Big  Fishing  Creek." 
Here  they  surprised  another  encampment,  where  Mr. 
Van  Campen,  his  two  sons,  and  Peter  Pence  were  mak 
ing  sugar.  This  was  on  the  morning  of  the  30th  of 
March.  Mr.  Yan  Campen  was  shot  and  speared,  and 
one  of  his  sons  tomahawked  and  flung  into  the  fire, 
while  the  eldest  son  and  Pence  were  made  prisoners. 
The  savages  hastened  on  to  another  "sugar  camp," 
where  they  found  another  Yan  Campen  and  two  sons, 
brother  to  the  one  previously  killed.  They  murdered 
Mr.  Yan  Campen  and  his  youngest  son,  and  took  the 
other,  a  lad  twelve  years  of  age,  and  took  the  back 
track.  On  the  road  from  Shickshinny  to  Huntington, 
the  Indians  saw  "  signs  of  Yankoos."  Six  of  the  In 
dians  took  the  road,  and  surprised  four  men.  Shots 
were  exchanged,  and  Parks  and  Kansom  were  wound 
ed  ;  but,  taking  refuge  in  a  house  near  by,  the  Indians 
left  them.  The  two  fractions  of  the  company  were 
united  the  next  morning  in  Dallas.  They  started  early, 
and  soon  saw  fresh  shoe-tracks.  The  leader,  who  spoke 
good  English,  said  to  Yan  Campen,  "  Call."  On  his 
doing  so,  some  one  answered,  and  soon  Abram  Pike 
came  in  sight,  and  nine  Indians  seized  him.  He  fell 
on  his  knees,  and  cried  "  Quarter  !  quarter !"  His 
wife  and  a  child  were  with  him  in  a  sugar  camp,  and 
the  Indians  painted  her,  and  told  her  to  go  home.  The 
leader  of  the  party  said,  u  Joggo-squaw,  tell  Captain 
Butler  me  captain  too." 

This  gang  were  now  well  freighted  with  prisoners. 
Besides  the  boys  and  young  Pence,  they  had  two  mil 
itary  characters  of  considerable  importance.  Yan 
Campen  had  been  lieutenant  in  a  company  of  volun- 


306  WYOMING. 

teers,  and  quarter-master  under  General  Sullivan  dur 
ing  his  expedition  against  the  Indians,  and  Pike  was  a 
British  deserter.  Pike  had  been  in  the  Continental 
army  under  General  Washington ;  came  into  the  Val 
ley  before  the  Indian  battle ;  had  his  thigh  broken  in 
the  battle,  and  escaped  down  the  river  before  the  ca 
pitulation.  He  had  on  a  coat  of  the  Continental  uni 
form,  which  marked  him  in  the  eye  of  the  Indians  as  a 
considerable  prize.  They  knew  not  his  former  rela 
tions  to  the  English  army,  but  from  the  buttons  on  his 
coat  they  concluded  he  was  an  American  officer,  and 
they  called  him,  by  way  of  eminence,  "  Congless." 

Pike  was  an  Irishman,  strongly  marked  with  the 
peculiarities  of  his  race.  He  was  witty  and  roguish, 
presuming  and  adventurous.  It  used  to  be  told  of 
him  that,  when  in  Washington's  army  on  the  Hudson, 
he  and  three  other  fellows  stole  by  the  sentry  in  the 
night,  crossed  the  river,  and  broke  into  a  store  near 
the  enemy's  lines.  His  comrades  were  shot,  and  he 
narrowly  escaped.  He  was  reported  in  the  morning, 
and,  on  being  brought  before  the  general,  he  said, 
"Plase  your  excellency,  I  went  over  with  three  boys 
to  make .  a  prisoner  of  the  English  officer,  but  we  had 
bad  luck."  The  general,  turning  to  his  staff  and  smil 
ing,  said,  "  Did  you  ever  see  such  a  set  of  foolhardy 
fellows?  Four  of  them  went  to  capture  the  British 
general !  Pike,  go  to  your  duty." 

Pike  was  always  poor,  but  always  preserved  an  air 
of  independence.  He  used  to  say,  "  The  world  owed 
him  a  living,  and  he  was  determined  not  to  be  chated 
out  of  it."  He  sometimes  committed  petty  thefts,  and 
always  avoided  the  penalties  of  the  law,  either  from 
the  kind  consideration  of  the  party  injured,  or  by  some 
stroke  of  Irish  wit.  He  was  once  brought  before  a 


ROGERS,  VAN  CAMPEN,  PENCE,  AND   PIKE.      307 

magistrate  charged  with  having  stolen  a  silver  spoon. 
The  evidence  was  circumstantial,  and  not  very  con 
clusive.  Pike  solemnly  denied  the  charge,  and  ap 
pealed  to  all  the  saints  for  the  truth  of  the  denial. 
"Well,"  said  the  squire,  "I  will  swear  you,  Pike." 
"  Jist  as  your  honor  plases  about  that,"  was  the  re 
ply.  Pike  kissed  the  Bible,  and  still  positively  denied 
any  knowledge  of  the  spoon.  The  complainant,  being 
shrewd,  and  knowing  the  soldier  well,  then  said,  u  Now, 
Pike,  if  you  will  lift  up  your  hand,  and  swear  by  the 
honor  of  a  soldier  that  you  did  not  take  the  spoon,  I 
will  let  you  off."  The  court  said,  "  Pike,  lift  up  your 
hand."  Pike  looked  wise,  and,  shrugging  up  his 
shoulders  and  shaking  his  head,  said,  "  The  de'il  a  bit ;" 
and,  thrusting  his  hand  into  his  bosom,  he  drew  out 
the  spoon  and  dashed  it  upon  the  table,  exclaiming, 
"  Troth,  an'  I'll  not  violate  the  honor  of  a  soldier  for 
all  the  spoons  in  America."  The  owner  took  his 
spoon,  and  the  squire  laughed  heartily.  Pike  was 
finally  discharged  with  a  reprimand. 

The  company  now  commenced  their  march  for  the 
north.  They  encamped  before  they  reached  Bau- 
man's  Creek.  Early  the  next  morning  they  set  off, 
and  that  day  came  to  their  canoes,  in  which  they  cross 
ed  the  Susquehanna  above  Tunkhannock,  and  then  set 
them  afloat.  That  night  they  encamped  on  the  Me- 
shappen,  but  how  they  passed  without  observing  the 
scene  of  Bennets'  and  Hammond's  slaughter  of  the  In 
dians,  which  had  occurred  but  two  days  before,  direct 
ly  in  their  path,  it  is  difficult  to  say.  There  was  no 
doubt  a  providence  in  this,  for  the  discovery  would 
have  provoked  them  to  put  their  prisoners  to  torture 
without  delay,  or  would  at  least  have  put  them  upon 
their  guard. 


308  WYOMING. 

On  the  next  day,  April  1st,  Mr.Eogers  says,  "There 
was  some  talk  of  trying  to  make  our  escape,  as  we  came 
across  flocks  of  deer,  which  gave  the  prisoners  an  op 
portunity  of  being  by  themselves.  Pike,  upon  inquiry, 
found  out  who  was  the  commanding  officer  at  Niagara, 
and  said  he  knew  him  as  well  as  he  did  his  father.  He 
swore  that  he  would  that  night  be  a  free  man  or  a  dead 
man.  He  well  knew  his  fate  should  he  reach  Niagara." 

Van  Campen  says,  "It  came  into  my  mind  that 
sometimes  individuals  performed  wonderful  actions, 
and  surmounted  the  greatest  dangers ;  I  then  thought 
that  these  fellows  must  die,  as  well  as  of  the  plan  to  dis 
patch  them."  Their  views  were  compared  and  their 
plans  matured.  That  night  was  the  time,  for  later  than 
that  time  they  might  be  in  the  hands  of  a  large  body 
of  Indians,  who  would  certainly  put  to  torture  the  first 
prisoners  they  should  secure  after  the  ravages  of  the 
American  army  in  their  country.  Such  was  the  rea 
soning  of  the  prisoners,  and  such  their  conclusions. 

The  spirit  of  liberty  struggled  in  the  bosom  of  these 
brave  fellows :  to  them  the  hazards  of  an  unequal  fight 
were  preferable  to  the  exigencies  of  captivity  among 
the  savages.  With  the  poet  they  said : 

"Thy  spirit, Independence,  let  me  share, 
Lord  of  the  lion-heart  and  eagle-eye : 
Thy  steps  I  follow  with  my  bosom  bare, 

Nor  heed  the  storm  that  howls  along  the  sky." 

SMOLLETT. 

That  night  they  encamped  near  the  river,  about  fif 
teen  miles  below  Tioga  Point,  not  far  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Wysox.  The  prisoners  brought  wood  and  made 
up  a  good  fire.  How  they  were  to  get  loose  from  their 
pinions  was  a  question.  As  the  boy  Kogers  had  not 
been  pinioned,  it  was  presumed  he  would  still  be  left 


KOGEKS,  VAN   CAMPEN,  PENCE,  AND   PIKE.      309 

free,  and  he  could  help  them  to  the  "  wood-hatchets" 
and  a  knife.  The  prisoners  were  pinioned  and  laid 
down,  each  one  between  two  Indians.  When  all  were 
sound  asleep,  Kogers  arose,  and  secured  a  knife  and 
gave  it  to  Pike,  and  at  the  same  time  put  an  axe  in  the 
way  of  Yan  Campen,  and  returned  to  his  place.  "  Pike 
cut  himself  loose,  and  then  cut  the  other  prisoners 
loose."  So  says  Mr.  Kogers,  albeit  Mr.  Yan  Campen 
says,  "  I  slipped  to  Pence,  who  rose ;  I  cut  him  loose, 
and  handed  him  the  knife ;  he  did  the  same  for  me. 
I,  in  turn,  took  the  knife  and  cut  Pike  loose ;  in  a  mo 
ment's  time  we  disarmed  them."  Pike's  account  agrees 
with  that  of  Kogers,  that  he  cut  the  prisoners  loose.  And, 
according  to  him,  while  he  took  away  the  guns,  Yan 
Campen  and  Pence,  each  with  an  axe  in  his  hand,  re 
sumed  their  position,  with  the  understanding  that, 
should  the  Indians  take  the  alarm  before  the  guns 
were  removed,  they  should  each  dispatch  the  two  In 
dians  which  lay  by  their  side.  The  guns  were  all  re 
moved,  and  set  up  by  a  tree  at  a  short  distance.  All, 
so  far,  seems  probable  and  well  planned;  but  after 
this,  Pike's  story  and  Yan  Campen's  differ  widely. 
According  to  Pike,  he  next  proceeded  to  take  the 
blankets  from  the  Indians,  that  they  might  freeze  if 
they  should  escape.  He  pulled  off  their  blankets,  and 
they  shrugged  their  shoulders  and  shivered,  but  slept 
on  until  he  had  uncovered  the  last  one,  when,  in  step 
ping  over  him,  he  hit  him  with  his  toe,  upon  which  he 
lifted  up  his  head  and  exclaimed  "  "Woo !"  Then  the 
slaughter  began.  Kogers  says,  "An  Indian  awaked 
and  began  to  jabber."  Yan  Campen  and  Rogers  agree 
in  saying  that  Pence  fired  upon  them ;  he,  of  course, 
must  have  sprung  to  the  guns  during  the  first  on 
slaught.  Several — it  is  not  certain  how  many — were 


310  WYOMING. 

slaughtered  at  the  first  onset,  and  the  remainder  fled 
a  few  paces  to  the  woods ;  but,  finding  themselves 
naked  and  defenseless,  they  made  a  rush  upon  the 
prisoners,  when  nearly  all  shared  the  same  fate.  Pence 
fired ;  Pike  dealt  out  heavy  blows  with  his  axe,  first 
using  the  head  and  then  the  edge,  as  Rogers  reports, 
while  Yan  Campen  had  a  grapple  with  a  stout  fellow 
whom  he  had  wounded,  which  is  thus  graphically  de 
scribed  by  himself:  "  There  was  one — his  name  was  Mo 
hawk — a  stout,  bold,  daring  fellow.  In  the  alarm  he 
jumped  off  about  three  rods  from  the  fire ;  he  saw 
that  it  was  the  prisoners  that  made  the  attack,  and, 
giving  the  war-whoop,  he  darted  to  take  possession  of 
the  guns ;  I  was  as  quick  to  prevent  him ;  the  con 
test  was  then  between  him  and  myself.  As  I  raised 
my  tomahawk,  he  turned  to  jump  from  me ;  I  followed 
him  and  struck  at  him,  but  missed  his  head :  my  toma 
hawk  struck  his  shoulder,  or,  rather,  the  back  of  his 
neck ;  he  pitched  forward  and  fell ;  at  the  same  time, 
my  foot  slipped,  and  I  fell  by  his  side ;  we  clinched ; 
his  arm  was  naked ;  he  caught  me  around  the  neck ; 
at  the  same  time,  I  caught  him  with  my  left  arm  around 
the  body,  and  gave  him  a  close  hug,  feeling  for  his 
knife,  but  could  not  reach  it.  In  our  scuffle  my  toma 
hawk  dropped  out ;  my  head  was  under  the  wounded 
shoulder,  and  I  was  almost  suffocated  with  the  blood. 
I  made  a  violent  spring,  and  broke  his  hold ;  we  both 
arose  at  the  same  time,  and  he  ran.  It  took  me  some 
time  to  clear  the  blood  from  my  eyes ;  my  tomahawk 
got  covered  up,  and  I  could  not  find  it  in  time  to  over 
take  him.  He  was  the  only  one  of  the  party  that  es 
caped." 

"Now  cuffing  close,  now  chasing  to  and  fro, 
Now  hurtling  round  advantage  for  to  take, 


ROGERS,  VAN  CAMPEN,  PENCE,  AND   PIKE.      311 

As  two  wild  boares  together  grappling  go, 
Chaufing  and  foaming  choler  each  against  his  foe. 
At  last  they  have  all  overthrown  to  ground 
Quite  topside  turvey,  and  the  pagan  hound 
Amongst  the  iron  hooks  and  grapples  run, 
Torn  all  to  rags,  and  rent  with  many  a  wound." 

SPENSER. 

The  bloody  tragedy  closed,  and  Eogers  began  to 
jump  up  and  down.  Pike,  frantic  with  joy,  gave  him 
a  blow  on  the  side  of  the  head  which  felled  him  to  the 
ground.  They  remained  in  the  camp  until  morning ; 
Yan  Campen,  recovering  the  scalps  of  his  father  and 
other  relatives,  and  scalping  the  Indians,  strung  the 
scalps  on  his  belt.  Early  in  the  morning  the  victors 
gathered  up  the  plunder  and  proceeded  to  the  river. 
They  constructed  a  raft,  which  proved  insufficient ;  it 
sunk  under  them,  and  they  lost  nearly  all  their  plun 
der.  They  traveled  down  as  far  as  "the  Narrows," 
where  they  saw  a  smoke,  and  had  no  doubt  an  Indian's 
*camp  was  there.  After  a  little  reconnoitring,  they  dis 
covered  that  the  Indians  had  left,  probably  upon  a 
hunting  expedition.  They  found  a  new  raft,  which 
they  immediately  took  possession  of,  and  paddled  off 
with  all  their  might.  Just  as  they  were  out  of  danger, 
the  Indians  made  their  appearance  on  the  shore  and 
fired  upon  them,  but  without  effect.  They  landed  on 
an  island,  and  made  themselves  as  comfortable  as  pos 
sible  for  the  night. 

Yan  Campen  tells  a  ludicrous  story  of  Pike,  of  what 
he  says  occurred  that  night.  They  heard  a  noise,  and 
Pike,  supposing  it  to  be  the  tread  of  an  Indian,  was 
much  alarmed.  He,  Yan  Campen,  "  kept  watch,  and 
soon  a  noble  raccoon  came  under  the  light."  He 
shot  the  raccoon,  "  when  Pike  jumped  up  and  called 
out,  '  Quarter,  gentlemen — quarter,  gentlemen.'  "  He 


312  WYOMING. 

took  the  raccoon  by  the  leg,  and  threw  it  down  by 
the  fire,  saying,  "  Here,  you  cowardly  rascal,  skin  that, 
and  give  us  a  roast  for  supper."  This  story  is  wholly 
incredible  upon  any  other  supposition  than  that  Pike 
was  merely  exhibiting  a  little  of  his  Irish  humor; 
more,  it  is  wholly  inconsistent  with  Mr.  Rogers's  ac 
count  of  the  facts  of  this  famous  retreat. 

According  to  Mr.  Eogers,  they  left  the  scene  of  con 
flict,  and  landed  on  the  island  on  the  2d  of  April. 
He  says,  "  April  3d,  early,  crossed  on  to  the  west  side, 
and  traveled  with  nothing  to  eat.  We  have  now  been 
two  days  without  any  thing  to  eat."  Where  was  that 
"noble  raccoon"  which  the  "cowardly  rascal"  Pike 
was  ordered  to  dress  and  prepare  "  a  roast  for  sup 
per?" 

"  April  4,  traveled  all  day ;  nothing  to  eat  but  a 
small  piece  of  dead  deer  we  found."  The  deer  had 
died  of  wounds  which  it  had  received,  and  had  began 
to  decay.  The  flesh  was  a  sorry  morsel  for  any  but 
starving  men.  At  this  point  the  boy  Rogers  became 
overcome  with  fatigue,  and  besought  his  friends  to  let 
him  lie  down  and  die.  Pike  took  him  upon  his  back, 
and  encouraged  him  to  keep  heart.  He  said  to  his 
companions,  "I'll  tak'  the  boy  to  his  mother,  or  I'll 
die  in  the  struggle."  After  a  little  rest  on  the  back 
of  the  old  Irish  soldier,  the  lad  plucked  up  courage 
and  went  on. 

"  April  5,  traveled  all  day ;  nothing  to  eat.  April 
6,  came  to  the  river  not  far  from  Esquire  Button's,  in 
Exeter.  About  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  we  killed 
a  deer.  I  ran,  and  before  it  was  dead  I  had  a  piece  in 
my  mouth."  He  paid  but  little  attention  to  the  "hair 
and  skin,"  but  forced  the  quivering  flesh  between  his 
teeth,  as  he  says,  "  until  the  blood  dropped  from  my 


ROGERS,  VAN  CAMPEN,  PENCE,  AND   PIKE.      313 

mouth.  It  was  the  sweetest  morsel  I  ever  tasted." 
The  same  day,  at  nine  o'clock,  they  arrived  at  Wilkes- 
barre.  The  journal  concludes: 

"  Friday,  April  7,  I  went  from  Wilkesbarre  to 
Plymouth,  to  my  parents,  who  received  me  as  one  from 
the  dead." 

This  wonderful  tale  we  have  drawn  up  partly  from 
Mr.  Van  Campen's  narrative,  found  in  his  memorial  to 
Congress  asking  for  a  pension,  partly  from  a  brief  nar 
rative  written  by  Mr.  Eogers,  which  has  been  in  the 
hands  of  John  Bennet,  Esq.,  of  Kingston,  since  1830, 
and  which  he  has  kindly  allowed  us  to  use,  and  part 
ly  from  our  own  recollection  of  a  verbal  relation  of 
the  circumstances  by  Abram  Pike  in  1818.  There  is 
some  clashing  between  Yan  Campen's  story  and  Pike's. 
Each  makes  himself  the  great  hero  of  the  tragedy,  and 
makes  the  other  a  "coward."  In  this  they  were  both 
influenced  by  prejudice,  and  are  both  wrong.  Colonel 
Stone,  in  the  second  edition  of  his  history  of  Wyoming, 
fully  credits  Yan  Campen,  and  brands  Pike  with  cow 
ardice.  The  colonel  was  misled  by  Yan  Campen's  me 
morial.  Pike  was  a  regularly  disciplined  soldier;  was 
in  the  Indian  battle,  and  escaped  by  swimming  down 
the  river  a  mile  or  more  with  his  thigh  broken.  "  Ser 
geant  Pike,  the  Indian  Killer,"  as  he  was  often  famil 
iarly  called,  was  no  coward ;  nor  were  either  of  his 
comrades  in  that  heroic  exploit  "at  the  mouth  of  the 
Wysox"  cowards.  The  testimony  of  Jonah  Eogers, 
which  we  now  have  in  writing  from  under  his  own 
hand,  is  entirely  reliable,  and  he  gives  the  two  con 
testants  for  the  honor  about  an  equal  measure  of 
credit. 

The  account  which  Pike  gives  us  of  his  pulling  off 
the  blankets  from  the  Indians  is  scarcely  credible; 

0 


314  WYOMING. 

and  a  portion  of  the  story  of  Van  Campen's  grapple 
with  "  Mohawk,"  while  Pike  and  Pence  were  on  hand, 
is  doubtful.  It  is  hardly  likely  that  they  would  stand 
by  and  see  their  comrade  so  near  being  killed  by  a 
wounded  Indian,  and  finally  let  him  escape,  when  all 
the  company  excepting  him  were  dead  or  dying. 
The  main  facts  are  indisputably  true;  as  to  some  of 
the  particulars,  it  is  not  strange  that  there  should  be 
some  diversity,  and  even  contradictions  in  the  differ 
ent  relations.  Van  Campen's  story  was  published 
after  Pike  and  Eogers  were  both  dead,  and,  so  far  as 
it  is  unnaturally  in  his  own  favor,  and  against  one 
of  his  companions  in  captivity  and  danger,  it  is  to  be 
taken  with  a  large  discount. 

The  stories  of  Pike  and  Rogers  were  as  familiar  in 
the  country  as  household  words  for  many  years,  while 
they  were  both  living  in  the  same  neighborhood,  and 
they  were  always  understood  to  agree  in  all  essential 
particulars.  When  Pike  related  the  tale  to  us,  it  was 
in  the  presence  and  at  the  instance  of  old  Mrs.  Reyn 
olds,  of  Truxville,  who  had  heard  it  so  often  that  she 
understood  it  perfectly,  and  would  have  marked  the 
slightest  variation  from  the  known  truth  of  the  his 
tory.  We  have  made  these  remarks  from  a  regard  to 
historical  truth,  and  without  the  slightest  prejudice 
against  or  in  favor  of  either  of  the  parties. 


GEORGE  P.  RANSOM  AND  OTHERS.      315 


XII. 

THE    CAPTIVITY  AND    ESCAPE   OF  GEORGE   P.  RANSOM 
AND  OTHERS. 

GEORGE  P.  EANSOM  was  the  son  of  Captain  Samuel 
Eansom,  who  was  one  of  the  three  men  who  arrived 
just  in  time  to  engage  in  the  battle  and  fall  upon  the 
field  of  gore  and  slaughter. — See  Mrs.  Myers's  account 
of  the  battle,  p.  158. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  entered  the  army  at  the 
commencement  of  the  Kevolutionary  war,  at  the  age 
of  fourteen.  He  served  for  two  years  as  his  father's 
waiter.  When  Wyoming  was  threatened  with  an  in 
vasion  from  the  Indians  and  Tories,  two  companies 
which  had  been  raised  in  Wyoming,  under  the  com 
mand  of  Captains  Eansom  and  Durkee,  were  consoli 
dated  into  one,  and  sent  on  under  the  command  of 
Captain  Simon  Spaulding.  This  company  was  en 
camped  at  Merwin's,  thirty-three  miles  from  the  Val 
ley,  on  the  night  of  the  battle.*  On  the  following  day, 
a  scout  was  sent  on  in  advance  to  learn  the  position 
of  affairs.  The  scout  met  the  fugitives,  who  gave 
them  the  sad  intelligence  of  the  defeat  and  slaughter 
of  the  little  patriot  army,  and  that  the  settlement  was 
in  the  possession  of  the  Indians  and  Tories.  Upon 
their  return,  Captain  Spaulding  proceeded  with  his 
men  to  Stroudsburg. 

After  a  delay  there  of  several  weeks,  Spaulding's 

*  So  say  the  historians ;  but  Colonel  Hollenback  is  represented  as 
locating  Spaulding's  company  on  that  night  at  Bear  Creek,  twenty- 
four  miles  nearer  Wyoming. 


316  WYOMING. 

company,  together  with  some  of  the  settlers  under  the 
leadership  of  Colonel  Butler,  proceeded  to  the  Valley, 
and  buried  the  dead  who  lay  upon  the  battle-field. 
Young  Ransom  was  in  the  company,  and,  after  diligent 
search  among  the  slain,  was  finally  enabled  to  identify 
the  body  of  his  father  from  his  ^shoe  and  knee  buckles. 
His  head  was  severed  from  his  body,  and  the  body 
was  much  burned.  Another  son  of  Captain  Ransom 
who  was  in  the  battle  had  his  arm  broken  by  a  ball, 
and  escaped  by  swimming  the  river  and  diving  when 
the  savages  shot  at  him  from  the  shore. 

George  P.  Ransom  joined  Sullivan's  army,  was  in 
the  battle  at  Newtown,  and  shared  in  all  the  dangers 
and  hardships  of  the  expedition  into  the  Indian  coun 
try.  He  related  with  much  interest  the  circumstance 
of  Luke  Swetland's  meeting  the  army.  Swetland  had 
been  taken  prisoner  by  the  Indians  in  August,  1778, 
and  had  managed  to  make  his  escape.  "When  he  met 
the  army,  supposing  he  had  fallen  in  with  Butler's 
Tories,  he  asked  if  they  had  heard  any  thing  of  "  the 
rebel  army,"  when,  taking  him  for  a  stray  Tory, 
the  soldiers  commenced  abusing  him  with  kicks  and 
cuffs.  Fortunately,  young  Ransom  happened  to  be 
•near  him,  and  sung  out,  "Is  that  you,  Swetland?" 
"Good  God!"  exclaimed  Swetland,  "is  there  any  one 
here  that  knows  me?"  The  course  of  treatment  was 
now  suddenly  changed  from  abuse  to  hearty  congrat 
ulations,  and  the  supposed  Tory  was  taken  into  the 
arms  of  his  Yankee  brothers,  and,  with  them,  returned 
to  his  beloved  Wyoming  after  more  than  a  year's  ab 
sence. 

Upon  the  return  of  the  army  to  the  Valley  Mr. 
Ransom  obtained  a  furlough,  and  visited  his  friends  at 
Plymouth.  On  one  Sunday  evening  in  December, 


GEORGE  P.  RANSOM  AND  OTHERS.      817 

1780,  young  Ransom,  with  two  other  young  men,  paid 
a  visit  to  a  house  where  were  three  young  ladies,  for 
the  purpose  of  whiling  away  an  hour  or  two  in  pleas 
ant  chat.  When  they  had  become  agreeably  engaged 
in  soft  nonsense  and  relating  yarns,  three  heavy  raps 
fell  upon  the  door.  The  party  knew  well  the  signal, 
and  looked  around  for  some  way  of  escape.  Upon 
looking  out  of  the  windows  they  found  them  guarded, 
and,  turning  to  the  door,  in  rushed  a  band  of  Indians 
and  Tories,  and  made  captives  of  the  whole  company. 
The  lovers  were  now,  in  sorry  plight,  hurried  up  the 
mountain,  and  at  a  suitable  distance  from  the  settle 
ment  the  Indians  and  Tories  prepared  to  encamp. 
Before  they  had  concluded  their  arrangements  for  the 
night  they  let  the  girls  go.  Two  of  them — Lucy  Har 
vey  and  Eachel  Bullock — took  a  bee-line  to  the  fort 
at  Wilkesbarre. 

The  venerable  Charles  Harris,  now  eighty-nine  years 
of  age,  was  on  duty  as  a  sentinel  that  night.  He  was 
then  a  lad,  and  wide  awake  for  Indians.  He  says,  "I 
saw  something  black,  and  I  thought  it  moved.  I  was 
first  at  a  loss  to  know  what  to  do ;  I  thought  it  might 
be  an  Indian  stealing  up  to  shoot  me ;  but,  as  it  might 
be  a  friend,  I  concluded  to  call  out.  '  Who  is  there  ?' 
I  demanded.  A  female  voice  answered,  'A  friend.' 
Then  advance,  said  I,  and  up  came  the  two  girls,  and 
told  me  the  story  of  their  capture  and  release,  and  said 
that  the  Indians  and  Tories  had  the  three  young  men, 
and  were  going  off  with  them  to  Niagara.  I  awoke 
Colonel  Butler,  and  he  ordered  the  alarm-gun  fired. 
When  it  was  fired  it  created  terrible  confusion;  an 
Irishman  jumped  out  of  his  bed  and  ran  to  the  door 
roaring,  and  appeared  to  be  half  scared  to  death." 

The  prisoners  on  the  mountain  heard  the  alarm- 


818  WYOMING. 

gun,  and  from  that  concluded  that  their  lady-loves  had 
safely  reached  the  garrison.  The  prisoners  were  tied, 
and  the  Indians  and  Tories  lay  down  in  a  ring  around 
them.  Before  they  laid  themselves  down,  one  of  the 
Tories  told  the  prisoners,  with  great  emphasis,  that  if 
either  of  them  escaped,  the  Indians  would  kill  the  oth 
ers.  When  all  were  asleep,  Eansom  thought  of  mak 
ing  his  escape,  and  succeeded  in  untying  the  rope 
which  confined  his  arms.  They  were  situated  on  the 
brow  of  a  hill,  and  he  had  no  doubt  but  he  could  dash 
down  the  hill  among  the  bushes,  and  escape  without 
harm.  But  then  he  thought  of  his  companions  in  cap 
tivity.  From  the  manner  in  which  the  Tory  had  pre- 
monished  them  of  the  consequences  of  the  escape  of  any 
one  of  them,  he  had  no  reason  to  doubt  but  the  threat 
would  be  executed,  and  that,  too,  under  circumstances 
*of  savage  barbarity.  Upon  reflection,  he  tied  the  rope 
as  it  was  before.  He  could  not  sleep;  his  thoughts 
were  busy.  What  would  become  of  him  ?  He  wore  the 
uniform  of  Sullivan's  army ;  he  remembered  the  fate 
of  "brave  Boyd  ;"  and,  almost  without  willing  it,  the 
rope  was  again  slipped.  He  looked  upon  the  darkness 
down  the  hill  side  ;  he  was  upon  the  point  of  leaping 
over  the  ring  of  Indians  and  Tories ;  he  held  himseli 
down ;  he  did  the  deed  in  imagination  over  and  over. 
But  ah!  his  two  companions  in  captivity — their  fate 
brought  him  up  again.  He  could  have  no  hope  of 
releasing  them.  One  might  escape,  loose  as  he  then 
was,  but  to  liberate  the  other  two,  and  for  all  to  run 
away,  would  be  beyond  the  bounds  of  all  rational  prob 
ability.  Here  he  paused,  and  finally  drew  the  knot  up 
again,  and  waited  for  daylight,  resolving  to  share  a 
common  fate  with  his  companions  in  captivity. 

When  the  day  broke  the  company  made  prepara- 


GEORGE  P.  RANSOM  AND  OTHERS.      319 

tions  to  move  on.  They  loaded  the  prisoners  with 
heavy  packs,  and  moved  up  the  river.  It  was  in  the 
month  of  December,  and  they  suffered  much  from  fa 
tigue  and  cold,  besides  being  nearly  starved.  At 
Tioga  Point  they  killed  a  horse,  and  kept  in  tolerable 
case  while  their  horse-beef  lasted.  Eansom  was  known 
from  his  dress  to  have  been  in  the  army  which  had 
devastated  the  Indian  country,  and  of  course  was 
singled  out  as  a  special  object  of  vengeance.  Before 
they  reached  Niagara  they  fell  in  with  a  large  body 
of  Indian  families,  and  now  it  was  time  to  proceed  with 
some  ceremony  of  savage  cruelty,  in  which  all  who 
had  suffered  from  the  invasion  of  the  "rebel  army" 
might  have  a  taste  of  sweet  vengeance  on  their  ene 
mies.  The  method  resorted  to  was  one  of  the  milder 
sort  in  use  among  the  Indians. 

Kansom  was  seated  on  a  log,  and  was  told  by  the 
Tories  that  the  Indians  were  about  to  whip  him.  The 
law  which  governed  this  ceremony  was  that  the  whole 
body  of  Indians,  squaws,  and  pappooses  would  pass  by 
him  in  single  file,  and  each  one  would  give  him  a  blow : 
he  might  dodge,  but  must  not  leave  the  log ;  if  he  did, 
he  would  be  killed.  The  procession  was  formed,  ev 
ery  one  having  in  hand  some  weapon,  generally  being 
armed  with  sticks  or  whips.  The  old  chief  came  up 
at  the  head  of  the  procession,  and,  taking  him  by  the 
hand,  muttered  out  something  in  his  own  language, 
and  gave  him  a  blow.  Then  came  the  queen  squaw 
and  did  the  same.  Then  followed  about  forty  Indians, 
then  about  as  many  squaws.  Last  of  all  came  on  the 
young  brood,  and  they  struck  their  blow,  some  of  them 
showing  the  venom  of  young  vipers.  The  victim  of 
this  savage  cruelty  dodged  the  blows  so  adroitly  that 
he  was  not  much  injured  excepting  in  one  instance :  a 


320  WYOMING. 

young  Indian,  with  murderous  intent,  flung  a  toma 
hawk  at  his  head,  which  would  have  cloven  his  skull 
had  he  not  dropped  his  head  down  as  quick  as  light 
ning.  The  deadly  weapon  passed  over  his  head,  but 
struck  his  back  near  the  lower  extremity  of  the  spine, 
and  inflicted  an  injury,  the  effects  of  which  he  felt,  at 
times,  through  the  rest  of  his  life. 

The  prisoners  were  ten  or  twelve  days  in  reaching 
Niagara.  They  were  soon  removed  to  what  was  call 
ed  "Prisoners'  Island,"  in  the  St.  Lawrence,  forty -five 
miles  above  Montreal,  where  there  were  one  hund 
red  and  sixty-six  American  prisoners.  The  follow 
ing  account  of  the  treatment  which  the  prisoners  re 
ceived  there  is  from  Mr.  Hansom's  own  hand,  and  is 
taken  from  Miner's  History.  He  says,  "  We  were 
guarded  by  Kefugees,  or  what  was  called  Tories,  that 
belonged  to  Sir  John  Johnson's  second  regiment. 
The  commanding  officer  of  the  guard  on  the  isl 
and  was  a  young  Scotchman  by  the  name  of  M'Al- 
pin,  about  eighteen  years  of  age.  The  winter  was 
very  severe,  and  a  great  snow-storm  came  and  drifted 
before  the  door  of  the  guard,  who  sent  for  some  of  the 
American  prisoners  to  come  and  shovel  it  away. 
They  refused,  saying  they  were  prisoners  of  war,  and 
he  had  no  right  to  set  them  at  work  for  his  pleasure. 
Enraged  at  this,  the  officer  ordered  them  into  irons, 
and  directed  others  to  take  the  shovels  and  go  to  work: 
these  also  refused  and  were  ironed.  So  he  went  on 
commanding  and  meeting  with  resolute  disobedience 
to  what  they  considered  a  tyrannical  order.  They 
had  taken  up  arms  and  periled  their  lives  to  resist 
British  tyranny,  and  would  not  now,  though  prison 
ers,  submit  to  it.  Some  were  ironed  two  together, 
some  to  a  bar  four  together ;  but  he  kept  putting  on 


GEORGE  P.  RANSOM  AND  OTHERS.      321 

irons  as  long  as  he  had  handcuffs  left.  Among  the  last 
who  refused  were  myself  and  one  William  Palmeters. 
We  were  then  put  into  an  open  house  without  floor 
or  windows,  and  directions  given  that  we  should  have 
neither  victuals,  brandy,  nor  tobacco  ;  but  our  faithful 
friends  contrived  to  evade  the  guard,  and  we  were  fur 
nished  with  all.  There  we  remained  all  night,  suffer 
ing  extremely  from  the  cold.  The  next  morning 
M'Alpin  came,  thinking  our  spirits  were  broken,  and 
demanded  if  we  would  not  shovel  now.  All  answered 
in  a  word,  'Not  for  a  Tory.'  He  then  took  us  out 
of  that  place  and  put  us  into  a  hut  just  finished,  with 
a  good  floor,  and  we  sent  for  a  black  man,  a  good  fid 
dler,  for  we  had  two  on  the  island.  We  then  opened 
our  ball,  dancing,  to  keep  ourselves  warm,  jigs,  horn 
pipes,  four  and  six-handed  reels.  Where  four  were 
ironed  to  one  bar,  they  could  dance  the  cross-handed, 
or  what  we  called  the  York  reel.  We  continued  in 
this  merry  mood  until  our  Scotch  gentleman  found  the 
place  was  too  good  for  us.  He  then  took  us  out  and 
put  us  into  a  loft  of  one  of  the  huts,  which  stood  so 
low  that  a  man  could  stand  up  only  under  the  centre 
of  the  ridge.  There  we  were  kept  in  extreme  suffer 
ing  two  days  and  nights.  In  the  mean  time,  M  Alpin 
sent  for  Charles  Grandison,  our  fiddler,  and  ordered 
him  to  play  for  his  pleasure.  The  black  went,  but 
firmly  declared  that  he  would  not  play  while  his  fel 
low-prisoners  were  in  irons.  The  officer  then  ordered 
a  sort  of  court-martial,  composed  of  Tories,  who,  of 
course,  brought  in  the  poor  negro  guilty.  The  sen 
tence  of  the  court  was  that  he  should  be  stripped,  tied 
up,  and  receive  ten  lashes  on  his  naked  back,  which 
was  done.  While  smarting  with  the  lash,  the  officer 
asked  if  he  would  fiddle  as  he  was  ordered.  *  No ; 
02 


322  WYOMING. 

not  while  my  fellow-prisoners  are  in  irons,'  was  his 
answer.  Again  he  was  tied  up  and  ten  lashes  laid  on ; 
but  his  firmness  was  not  to  be  shaken,  and  the  officer 
sent  him  to  his  hut. 

"  M'Alpin  then  sent  a  party  of  soldiers  to  bring  up 
some  of  the  prisoners,  several  of  whom  were  flogged 
severely ;  and  one,  against  whom  the  Tories  had  a  par 
ticular  spite,  was  tied  neck  and  heels,  a  rope  put  around 
his  neck,  and  he  was  thus  drawn  up  to  the  chamber 
floor  and  kept  until  he  was  almost  dead,  let  down  and 
then  drawn  up  again.  One  John  Albright,  a  young 
Continental  soldier,  was  flogged  almost  to  death  for 
speaking  his  mind  freely.  But  not  one  American  was 
found  to  shovel  snow." 

On  the  opening  of  spring,  Eansom  and  his  two  fel 
low-prisoners,  James  Butterfield  and  John  Brown, 
were  permitted  to  make  gardens  for  themselves.  They 
planned  their  beds  with  some  taste.  They  now  con 
ceived  the  project  of  making  a  raft  and  escaping  on  it. 
They  laid  out  their  work  and  proceeded,  one  keeping 
watch  while  the  other  two  worked.  They  put  to 
gether  old  sticks,  and  whatever  they  could  procure 
that  could  be  used,  and  bound  them  together,  and,  as 
fast  as  they  proceeded,  they  contrived  to  bury  their 
work  under  the  sand,  leaving  the  surface  in  the  form 
of  a  bed,  the  outer  rails  of  their  raft  seeming  to  be  de 
signed  to  keep  the  earth  from  washing  away. 

There  is  some  truth  as  well  as  poetry  in  the  lines  of 
Dryden : 

"For  there's  the  folly  that's  still  mixed  with  fear, 
Cowards  more  blows  than  any  heroes  bear ; 
Of  fighting  sparks  some  may  their  pleasures  say, 
But  'tis  a  bolder  thing  to  run  away." 

They  provided  themselves  with  some  bread,  pork, 


GEORGE  P.  RANSOM  AND  OTHERS.      323 

and  salt,  and  on  the  9th  of  June,  just  after  sundown, 
they  dug  out  the  raft  and  committed  themselves  to  the 
treacherous  current.  Their  paddles  were  round  sticks 
flattened  at  the  end  with  a  pocket-knife.  They  pulled 
out  with  might  and  main,  and  had  but  just  got  under 
way  before  the  alarm-gun  bellowed  and  reverberated 
like  terrible  thunder.  The  thick  darkness  now  cover 
ed  the  fugitives,  and  they  were  borne  down  the  cur 
rent  on  their  crazy  raft,  to  what  haven  they  knew  not. 
Their  raft  being  constructed  of  old  materials,  it  absorb 
ed  the  water  until  it  ran  so  deep  that  the  adventurous 
passengers  sat  in  the  water  some  eighteen  inches.  That 
was  an  anxious  night,  and  as  perilous  as  anxious.  The 
doubt  which  harassed  their  minds  was  whether  they 
would  not  be  wrecked  and  drowned,  or  be  obliged  to 
land  where  they  would  be  an  easy  prey  to  the  British 
soldiers  or  the  Indians. 

At  daybreak  they  landed  on  the  Canada  side,  and 
when  they  attempted  to  raise  themselves  to  their  feet 
they  found  it  impossible.  Their  lower  limbs  were 
stiff,  being  benumbed  with  their  long  continuing  mo 
tionless  under  water.  They  succeeded  in  pulling 
themselves  to  land  by  some  bushes,  and  then  com 
menced  rubbing  their  legs  and  whipping  them  with 
switches.  Finally  they  could  walk,  and  they  moved  on 
down  the  river,  and  concealed  themselves  for  the  day 
under  the  trees  in  a  windfall.  When  night  came  they 
started  on,  looking  out  for  some  sort  of  craft  in  which 
they  could  find  their  way  across  to  the  American  side. 
They  saw  a  bark  canoe,  but  were  kept  at  bay  by  two 
savage  dogs,  which  it  was  not  possible  for  them  to  paci 
fy.  Soon  after  this  they  found  two  bark  canoes  lying 
near  each  other.  They  took  possession  of  these  light 
vessels,  and  soon  found  the  American  shore.  They 


324  WYOMING. 

now  directed  their  course  toward  the  head  of  Lake 
Champlain. 

Their  bread  was  wet  and  spoiled ;  they  saved  their 
meat  and  salt.  In  a  written  account  of  this  wonderful 
escape,  which  we  have  received  from  Mr.  Samuel  Kan- 
som,  son  of  Colonel  George  P.  Eansom,  it  is  said  that 
their  meat  lasted  them  seven  days,  and  then  they  were 
left  without  food.  They  concealed  themselves  in  the 
daytime  for  six  days,  and  traveled  by  night.  Their 
way  lay  through  a  fearful  swamp,  where  for  more  than 
a  week  they  could  find  no  water  fit  to  drink.  They 
traveled  with  forked  sticks,  and  with  these  they  cap 
tured  snakes  and  frogs,  upon  which  they  lived  for 
more  than  a  week. 

They  all  became  exceedingly  weak,  and  one  of  the 
company  came  to  the  conclusion  that  he  must  lie  down 
and  die.  The  other  two  stimulated  him  on  by  telling 
him  that  if  he  died  they  would  fill  their  packs  with 
his  flesh  and  eat  it.  This  terrible  threat  drove  him  on 
for  a  while,  but  he  became  feverish,  and  evidently  could 
go  no  farther.  Providentially  they  came  to  a  beautiful 
spring  of  water.  He  drank,  and  lay  down  by  the  side 
of  it.  He  insisted  upon  being  left,  as  it  was  better  for 
him  to  die  alone  than  for  the  whole  company  to  per 
ish,  and  no  one  be  left  to  tell  their  story.  Upon  the 
whole,  it  was  concluded  to  make  the  best  provision 
for  the  poor  fellow  they  could,  and  then  go  on.  They 
accordingly  gathered  a  pile  of  wood,  caught  a  quantity 
of  frogs  and  snakes,  and  built  a  brush  booth  over  him, 
and  bade  him  farewell. 

Now  Mr.  Kansom  and  one  of  his  companions  pro 
ceeded,  but  with  feeble  and  faltering  steps,  being  near 
ly  exhausted.  On  the  fourteenth  day  of  their  adven 
turous  journey  they  found  two  old  horses.  Their  first 


GEORGE  P.  RANSOM  AND  OTHERS.      325 

idea  was  to  kill  one  of  them  and  fill  their  packs.  The 
next  thought  was  the  wisest  one — that  was,  to  mount 
the  horses,  and  let  them  go  where  they  would,  presum 
ing  they  would  take  them  to  some  habitation  of  man. 
This  plan  succeeded.  The  horses  brought  them  to  a 
house  where  there  was  a  kind-hearted  old  lady.  She 
saw  their  condition,  and  gave  them  half  a  pint  of  milk 
each,  mixed  with  about  as  much  water,  and  a  lit 
tle  bread.  They  took  their  scanty  ration,  and  lay 
down  upon  the  floor.  They  reached  this  hospitable 
hut  just  before  night.  They  slept  until  about  twelve 
o'clock,  and  then  awoke  with  such  a  voracious  appe 
tite  that  they  could  almost  bite  the  flesh  out  of  each 
other,  or  devour  their  own  fingers.  They  called  to 
their  benefactress,  who  arose  and  gave  them  the  same 
allowance  as  before.  They  then  lay  down  and  slept 
until  morning.  They  remained  here  three  or  four 
days,  and  became  so  recruited  that  they  proceeded 
with  good  heart  upon  their  journey. 

They  came  to  the  lake,  and  three  days  after  reached 
Hubbertston,  Yermont ;  the  next  day  they  reached  a 
fort  at  Castleton ;  then  they  came  to  Poultney,  where 
Mr.  Kansom  found  a  home  for  the  time  being  with  an 
uncle.  Some  three  weeks  after  their  arrival  at  Poult 
ney,  who  should  make  his  appearance  but  the  poor  fel 
low  they  had  left  to  die  by  the  spring !  Eest  under 
his  booth,  the  frogs,  broiled  by  the  fire,  seasoned  with 
a  little  salt  his  companions  had  left  him,  and  the  pure 
cold  water,  sustained  nature  until  she  had  rallied ;  the 
fever  left  him,  and  he  set  off  upon  the  track  of  his  com 
rades,  and  came  through  in  safety. 

Colonel  Eansom  says,  "My  companions  went  on  to 
Albany,  and  there  proclaimed  the  cruelty  of  the  Scotch 
officer:  it  was  published  in  the  papers.  A  flag  was 


326  WYOMING. 

dispatched  to  remonstrate  against  such  abuse  of  our 
men ;  and  we  had  the  pleasure  to  hear,  not  long  after, 
that  M'Alpin  was  tried  and  broke,  the  prisoners  be 
ing  called  to  witness  against  him." 

Some  of  the  Wyoming  prisoners  had  the  pleasure  of 
seeing  M'Alpin  drummed  out  of  the  camp.  About 
this  time  a  prisoner  brought  in  a  report  that  Cornwal- 
lis  was  taken  at  Yorktown,  and  the  American  prison 
ers,  after  due  consultation,  concluded  to  give  vent  to 
their  feelings  upon  the  occasion.  Accordingly,  on  a 
signal  being  given,  at  dead  of  night,  the  very  ground 
was  made  to  tremble  with  three  cheers  for  General 
Washington.  The  officers  sprang  from  their  beds,  and 
the  sentinels  almost  jumped  out  of  their  boots ;  but, 
upon  examination,  all  was  order  and  quiet  among  the 
prisoners.  The  iron  rule  had  ended.  The  time  had 
now  come  to  begin  to  arrange  for  the  exchange  of  pris 
oners,  instead  of  tying  Yankees  neck  and  heels,  and 
hanging  them  up.  Henceforth  law  and  decency  ob 
tained  on  "Prisoner's  Island." 

After  becoming  sufficiently  recruited,  Mr.  Ransom 
visited  his  friends  in  Canaan,  Connecticut,  and  then, 
after  a  short  stay  in  Wyoming,  returned  to  the  army 
at  West  Point,  where  he  remained  until  the  conclusion 
of  the  war,  when  he  was  honorably  discharged. 

Mr.  Ransom  married  and  settled  upon  lands  which 
his  father  had  occupied  before  the  war  in  Plymouth. 
Like  nearly  every  body  else  in  Wyoming,  the  young 
couple  had  hard  work  to  live  until  they  could  raise 
what  was  necessary  for  their  comfort  from  the  rich 
flats  which  they  commenced  tilling.  The  greatest  dif 
ficulty  was  to  obtain  materials  for  clothing.  Mr.  Ran 
som  sowed  flaxseed  in  the  spring,  but  it  would  not 
grow  in  a  day.  Before  his  flax  had  come  to  maturity 


GEORGE  P.  RANSOM  AND  OTHERS.      327 

lie  found  on  the  flats  a  luxuriant  growth  of  nettles ; 
these  he  mowed,  and  rotted  by  sinking  them  in  a  pond 
of  warm  water,  and  then  drying  them  in  the  sun,  and 
of  the  fibres  Mrs.  Eansom  made  coarse  cloth  for  pants 
for  her  husband.  They  were  neither  elegant  nor  dur 
able,  but  they  held  out  until  the  flax  came  to  maturity. 
Such  was  now  the  pressure  of  Mr.  Eansom's  necessities 
that  the  flax  was  pulled,  rotted,  dressed,  spun,  woven, 
and  a  shirt  and  pants  made  in  eight  days  !  The  ninth 
day  after  the  flax  was  pulled  the  enterprising  young 
farmer  was  dressed  in  the  fabric  which  was  manufac 
tured  out  of  it.  The  thing  seems  scarcely  possible,  but 
such,  we  are  assured,  was  the  fact. 

Mr.  Eansom  graduated  in  regular  course  to  the  of 
fice  of  colonel  of  the  regiment,  and  spent  a  long  life  on 
the  place  upon  which  he  first  commenced  housekeep 
ing.  He  lived  much  respected,  and  departed  this  life 
in  September,  1850,  in  the  ninetieth  year  of  his  age. 

Colonel  Eansom  was  a  man  of  high  spirits,  and  was 
an  uncompromising  patriot.  We  are  indebted  to  his 
son  Samuel  for  the  following  anecdote,  illustrative  of 
the  permanence  and  strength  of  his  feelings  as  a  Eev- 
olutionary  soldier.  "While  in  one  of  the  old  taverns  in 
Wilkesbarre,  when  quite  advanced  in  years,  he  heard 
a  windy  young  man  speak  very  disrespectfully  of 
General  Washington.  The  general,  he  said,  was  not  a 
great  man  nor  a  great  soldier,  but  had  taken  advantage 
of  fortunate  circumstances  to  palm  himself  off  upon 
the  world  as  such.  This  was  more  than  the  old  sol 
dier  could  well  bear,  and  he  lifted  his  cane  and  felled 
the  impudent  young  sprig  to  the  floor.  The  whipped 
puppy  prosecuted  the  colonel  for  assault  and  battery. 
When  the  case  came  on,  Colonel  Eansom  appeared  in 
court  without  an  advocate,  and  simply  pleaded  guilty, 


328  WYOMING. 

and  flung  himself  on  the  mercy  of  the  court.  Hon. 
David  Scott  was  presiding  judge ;  his  associates  were 
the  venerable  Matthias  Hollenback  and  Jesse  Fell. 
Judge  Scott  remarked,  This  is  a  case  which  I  choose  to 
leave  to  my  associates,  as  they  are  old  soldiers,  and  can 
fully  appreciate  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  and 
then  left  his  seat.  Judge  Hollenback  asked  Colonel 
Eansom  where  he  was  at  such  a  date.  The  answer 
was,  "In  my  father's  company,  in  Washington's  army." 
"And  where  on  the  3d  of  July,  1778?"  Answer, 
"With  Captain  Spaulding,  on  my  way  to  Wyoming." 
* ( And  where  the  following  summer ? ' '  Answer,  "With 
General  Sullivan  in  the  Lake  country,  flogging  the 
Indians."  "And  where  the  next  fall  and  winter?" 
Answer,  "  A  prisoner  on  the  St.  Lawrence."  "  Ah !" 
said  the  judge,  "  all  that  is  true  enough,  Colonel  Ean 
som.  And  did  you  knock  the  fellow  down,  colonel  ?" 
"I  did  so,  and  would  do  it  again  under  like  provo 
cation,"  was  the  answer.  "What  was  the  provoca 
tion  ?"  asked  the  judge.  "  The  rascal  abused  the  name 
of  General  Washington,"  was  the  answer.  The  judge 
coolly  said,  "Colonel  Eansom,  the  judgment  of  the 
court  is  that  you  pay  a  fine  of  one  cent,  and  the  pros 
ecutor  pay  the  cost."  A  roar  of  applause  succeeded, 
during  which  the  prosecutor  fled  from  the  court-house 
in  great  consternation,  and  immediately  left  the  place 
for  parts  unknown. 

During  this  singular  trial  the  colonel  stood  in  the 
calm  dignity  of  a  soldier  of  the  old  school,  with  his 
son  standing  by  his  side,  indulging  no  little  anxiety 
with  regard  to  the  event.  When  the  affair  had  term 
inated,  the  boy  walked  out  of  the  court-house  with 
his  father,  proud  of  his  courage  and  of  his  noble  bear 
ing  before  the  court,  and  abundantly  flattered  with  the 


GEORGE  P.  RANSOM  AND  OTHERS.      329 

public  demonstrations  of  approbation  of  an  act  which, 
whatever  might  have  been  the  result  of  it  under  other 
circumstances,  he  considered  both  lawful  and  expe 
dient. 

We  give  this  anecdote  as  we  received  it,  for  the  pur 
pose  of  illustrating  the  spirit  of  the  parties  concerned, 
judging  comments  entirely  unnecessary. 


330  WYOMING. 


XIII. 

BENJAMIN   BIDLACK — CAPTURE   BY   THE   PENNAMITES 
AND  SINGULAR  ESCAPE. 

"Therewith,  in  all  this  world,  no  nightingale 
Ne  coude  by  an  hundre'd  thousand  dell 
Singen  so  wonder  merrily  and  well." 

"Full  fairc  was  Mirthe,  full  long  and  high, 
A  fairer  man  I  never  sigh ; 
As  round  as  apple  was  his  face, 
Full  roddie  and  white  in  every  place." 

WlOLIF. 

MR.  BIDLACK  came  to  Wyoming  at  an  early  period 
with  his  father,  mother,  and  several  brothers.  He 
served  his  country  under  General  Washington  through 
nearly  the  entire  period  of  the  Kevolutionary  war.  He 
was  at  Boston  when  Washington  took  charge  of  the 
patriot  army  to  oppose  Greneral  Grage.  He  was  at 
Trenton  on  the  taking  of  the  Hessians.  He  was  at 
Yorktown  on  the  occasion  of  the  surrender  of  Corn- 
wallis ;  and  was  in  Washington's  camp,  at  Newburg, 
when  the  army  was  disbanded. 

One  of  Mr.  Bidlack's  brothers  was  captain  of  a  com 
pany  of  volunteers  in  the  Indian  battle,  and  fell  at  the 
head  of  his  men.  The  year  after,  his  father  was  taken 
prisoner  by  the  Indians  from  Plymouth.  After  his 
father's  imprisonment,  his  mother  earnestly  requested 
that  her  son  Benjamin  might  be  permitted  to  return 
home  on  furlough,  to  assist  her  in  her  lonely  and  help 
less  condition ;  but  such  were  the  necessities  of  the 
country  that  it  was  thought  the  example  would  be 
dangerous,  and  her  prayer  was  not  granted. 


BENJAMIN  BIDLACK.  331 

When  peace  was  concluded,  Captain  Bidlack  was 
released  from  Ms  captivity  ;  and  when  the  army  was 
discharged,  his  son  Benjamin  returned  home;  and 
now  those  who  remained  of  the  family  were  once  more 
together.  They  were  a  family  of  patriots — were  all 
tall,  large-boned,  powerful  men,  and  good  soldiers. 
Mr.  Bidlack  passed  through  the  perils  of  the  war  with 
out  seeming  to  realize  his  exposure  to  death,  until, 
about  the  time  of  its  close,  he  came  near  being  killed 
by  the  accidental  explosion  of  a  bomb-shell,  which  ig 
nited  on  being  flung  from  a  wagon.  The  fragments 
flew,  apparently,  within  a  hair's-breadth  of  him  on  ev 
ery  side,  and  yet  he  escaped  without  harm.  The  event 
led  to  much  serious  reflection,  which  he  never  forgot. 

He  assisted  in  building  "the  Temple  of  Liberty," 
and  in  constructing  a  causeway  across  the  marsh  which 
lay  between  the  two  lines  of  the  encampment  at  New- 
burg.  The  "temple"  lingered  in  his  memory  as  a  great 
institution ;  he  almost  seemed  to  regard  it  with  super 
stitious  veneration.  There  they  had  religious  worship, 
and  the  "  splendid  singing,"  in  which  he  took  a  prom 
inent  part,  was  with  him  the  beau  ideal  of  harmony. 
"I  never,"  said  he  to  us,  "heard  such  singing  in  my 
life.  Some  of  the  officers  from  New  England  were 
trained  singers,  and  many  of  the  men  could  sing  well, 
and  they  made  the  temple  ring  with  sweet  and  power 
ful  melody." 

"For  the  armony 

And  sweet  accord  was  so  good  musike, 
That  the  voice  to  angels  most  was  like." 

CHAUCER. 

'•  She  said,  In  air  the  trembling  music  floats, 
And  on  the  winds  triumphant  swell  the  notes ; 
So  soft,  though  high — so  loud,  and  yet  so  clear, 
Ev'n  listening  angels  lean  from  heaven  to  hear." — POPE. 


332  WYOMING. 

He  here  witnessed  the  debates  of  the  officers  upon 
the  subject  of  disbanding  the  army.  They  spoke  in 
their  uniform,  with  their  swords  by  their  sides.  On 
one  occasion,  one  of  them,  laying  his  hand  upon  the 
hilt  of  his  sword,  demanded,  with  great  vehemence, 
"  Gentlemen,  are  you  prepared  to  give  up  these  swords, 
which  have  procured  freedom  for  the  country,  and  for 
yourselves  glory  and  renown  ?  Can  you  retire  to  your 
farms  or  shops,  and  ingloriously  abandon  the  profes 
sion  of  arms?  Will  you  not  rather  spill  your  hearts' 
blood  in  defense  of  rights  which  have  been  so  dearly 
bought  in  the  camp  and  upon  the  field  of  battle?" 

Here  "  the  Armstrong  Letters"  originated,  and  here 
the  feelings  of  General  Washington  were  sorely  tried. 
We  once  took  a  stroll  over  the  ground  of  the  old  en 
campment,  saw  the  rude  masonry  and  portions  of  the 
foundations  of  the  huts,  and  some  vestiges  of  "  the 
Temple  of  Liberty,"  and  here  the  whole  story,  so  elo 
quently  told  by  "  Father  Bidlack,"  as  he  was  then  call 
ed,  before  his  intellect  had  begun  to  fail,  was  revived 
in  our  recollection.  We  imagined  we  saw  him  before 
us,  describing  the  scenes  which  took  place  during  that 
interesting  and  critical  period  of  our  national  history, 
shaking  his  venerable  head,  and  remarking,  with  deep 
gravity  and  with  great  earnestness,  "Ah!  that  was  a 
trying  time ;  but  the  wisdom,  firmness,  and  patriotism 
of  General  Washington  were  equal  to  the  emergency. 
He  might  have  kept  the  army  together  and  have  been 
king  of  the  country,  but  he  preferred  to  be  the  farmer 
of  Mount  Yernon  under  a  republican  government." 

Some  time  before  the  conclusion  of  the  last  Penn- 
amite  and  Yankee  war,  young  Bidlack  undertook  some 
sort  of  a  commercial  expedition  down  the  river  in  a 
boat.  At  Sunbury  he  was  made  a  prisoner  by  the 


BENJAMIN   BIDLACK.  335 

Pennsylvanians,  and  confined  in  a  place  which  they 
called  a  jail.  He  was  a  splendid  singer  and  a  merry 
fellow.  Like  many  of  the  old  soldiers,  he  was  "  ad 
dicted  to  strong  drink,"  and  on  evenings,  when  jolly 
circles  love  to  assemble  to  while  away  an  hour,  to  shake 
off  the  burdens  of  business,  or  to  stimulate  their  ex 
hausted  nerves  by  the  exhilarating  draught,  a  company 
were  accustomed  to  gather  upon  the  stoop  and  hear 
Bidlack  sing  songs,  of  course  affording  him  a  suffi 
ciency  of  the  desired  stimulant.  The  numbers  of  those 
evening  gatherings  increased  from  evening  to  even 
ing,  and  the  songs,  the  romantic  stories,  and  the  jokes 
of  the  soldier  became  increasingly  interesting,  until  he 
had  become  an  object  of  more  absorbing  interest  in 
the  little  town  of  Sunbury  than  a  company  of  min 
strels  is  now  in  one  of  our  large  cities. 

The  company  were  finally  not  quite  satisfied  with 
seeing  the  face  of  their  interesting  prisoner  through 
the  grates  of  the  prison,  but  wished  to  view  him  at  full 
length  as  he  poured  out  his  harmonious  and  powerful 
numbers.  The  door  was  accordingly  opened,  and  he 
stood  upon  the  threshold ;  but  here  he  was  too  much 
cramped,  and  his  gestures  were  evidently  impeded  by 
his  position.  "What's  the  use?"  said  one;  "let  him 
have  room."  And  he  was  then  allowed  to  come  out 
and  give  himself  free  scope  in  gesticulation.  He  was  a 
tall,  straight,  majestic  figure.  The  more  room  he  had, 
the  more  fully  did  his  sallies,  cuts,  and  thrusts  illus 
trate  and  enforce  the  sentiment — either  sense  or  non 
sense — of  the  poetry,  and  the  higher  was  the  excite 
ment  and  the  louder  the  bursts  of  laughter  among  the 
merry  companions  of  the  gathering. 

Evening  after  evening  passed  away  in  these  exer 
cises  without  the  least  abatement  of  the  interest,  when, 


336  WYOMING. 

at  a  late  hour,  the  gallant  hero  of  the  farce  would 
throw  himself  upon  his  pallet  of  straw,  and  sleep  away 
the  excitement  of  the  maddening  bowl.  As  Bidlack 
seemed  to  enjoy  the  company  of  his  new  associates, 
they  began  to  regard  him  as  a  sort  of  fixture  of  the 
place,  and  to  suppose  that  perhaps  to  be  lionized  would 
be  thought  a  fair  compensation  for  the  loss  of  his  lib 
erty;  but  they  did  not  know  the  man.  He  was  al 
ways  ready  to  make  the  best  shift  possible  when  un 
der  pressure.  He  would  be  merry  in  prison  if  in 
prison  he  must  be,  but  it  was  not  a  place  to  his  taste 
at  all.  Liberty  had  cost  him  too  much  to  be  bartered 
away  for  a  mess  of  pottage. 

Understanding  perfectly  his  position,  and  noticing 
that  the  sympathies  of  his  nightly  visitors  and  the 
confidence  he  had  inspired  in  their  minds  had  com 
pletely  put  them  off  their  guard,  he  began  to  meditate 
turning  the  advantages  of  these  circumstances  to  his 
account.  He  studied  the  matter  thoroughly,  and  ar 
ranged  his  plans. 

"Now,  since  I  have  performed  every  part 

Of  thy  command  as  near  as  tongue  can  tell, 
Content  thee  yet,  before  my  sense  depart, 
To  take  this  sonnet  for  my  last  farewell." 

GASCOYNE. 

He  finally  came  out  with  a  new  song,  entitled  "  The 
old  Swaggering  Man."  "That's  the  song  for  me," 
said  one.  "The  best  one  yet,"  said  another.  "Let's 
have  that  over  again,"  roared  a  third.  "Well,"  said 
the  performer,  "  let  me  rest  a  little,  and  take  a  good 
drink."  "  Yes,  yes,"  all  responded.  After  a  few  min 
utes'  intermission,  and  the  "  drink,"  of  course,  "  Now," 
says  the  actor,  "  if  you  want  a  rouser,  I  must  have  a 
cane,  and  room  to  act  it  out.  T  want  the  whole  length 


BENJAMIN    BIDLACK.  339 

of  the  stoop."  "Bring  on  the  cane!  clear  the  way! 
clear  the  way  I"  bawled  a  dozen.  He  sung  one  stanza, 
and  then  came  on  the  chorus,  "Here  goes  the  old 
swaggering  man."  He  brandished  his  cane,  and  stag 
gered,  and  plunged  from  end  to  end  of  the  stoop.  A 
roar  of  merriment  and  shouts  of  applause  resounded 
through  the  whole  neighborhood.  He  now  faced  about, 
breathed  hard,  took  another  drink,  and  this  time  his 
movement  was  in  the  direction  of  Wyoming.  He  sang 
another  verse,  and  then  he  roared  out  the  chorus, 
"Here  goes  the  old  swaggering  man,"  and  in  a  trice 
sprang  from  the  stoop,  leaped  the  six-foot  rail-fence 
which  surrounded  the  premises,  and  was  out  of  sight. 

Some  were  petrified  with  astonishment,  others  cursed 
and  swore,  while  others  laughed  immoderately.  "Aft 
er  him !  after  him  !"  cried  the  jailer.  Half  a  dozen 
ran  a  few  rods  in  the  dark,  and  then,  pausing  to  listen, 
heard  his  heavy,  hurried  tread  dying  away  in  the  dis 
tance.  " There's  no  use,"  said  they ;  "he  can  outrun 
a  deer."  They  returned  to  have  a  hearty  laugh  over 
the  romantic  adventure  of  the  jolly  Yankee  prisoner. 
They  separated,  more  regretting  the  loss  of  the  amuse 
ment  which  Bidlack  had  afforded  them  while  detained 
as  a  prisoner,  than  the  success  of  the  ruse  he  had  prac 
ticed  upon  them. 

As  may  well  be  supposed,  the  fugitive  made  great 
progress  during  the  night.  He  had  fifty  miles  to 
travel,  and  the  dawn  of  day  found  him  on  the  home 
ward  half  of  his  journey.  He  often  laughed  to  him 
self  at  the  mere  fun  and  romance  of  his  escape  so  loud 
as  to  scare  the  night-birds  of  the  mountains  and  glens. 
He  repeated  over  with  great  glee  the  talismanic  cho 
rus,  "Here  goes  the  old  swaggering  man,"  and  then 
he  would  skip  and  bound  like  the  buck  which  had 


340  WYOMING. 

swum  the  river,  reached  the  shore,  and  left  the  hounds 
on  the  other  side.  As  he  hies  along  the  bank  of  the 
river,  over  the  flats  and  through  the  narrows,  we  may 
imagine  him  singing  Hudibras,  slightly  altered,  to  suit 
the  occasion. 

He  that  sings  and  runs  away, 
May  live  to  sing  another  day ; 
But  he  that  doth  in  jail  remain, 
May  never  sing  at  home  again. 

Chorus.  Here  goes  the  old  swaggering  man. 

The  next  day  our  hero  safely  arrived  at  his  father's 
house  in  Plymouth.  It  was  soon  noised  abroad  that 
"  Ben  Bidlack  had  sung  himself  out  of  jail,  and  was  at 
home  safe  and  sound." 

Young  Bidlack  married  an  Alden,  a  descendant  of 
a  family  by  that  name  which  came  to  this  country  in 
the  May-Flower.  He  struggled  hard  with  poverty, 
and  still  harder  with  his  army  habits,  but  made  no 
progress,  and  there  seemed  no  human  probability  of 
his  improving  either  his  character  or  his  fortune.  At 
length  he  became  awakened  through  the  instrumentali 
ty  of  the  pioneers  of  Methodism,  and  finally  became  a 
Methodist  preacher.  He  sustained  this  character  to 
the  termination  of  a  protracted  life.  He  had  great 
power  in  the  pulpit,  and  was  as  great  a  singer  of  the 
songs  of  Zion  as  he  had  been  of  the  old  patriotic  bal 
lads.  He  was  for  many  years  a  most  laborious  and 
successful  minister  of  the  Gospel.  He  lost  his  wife 
while  engaged  in  the  active  duties  of  the  ministry, 
and  was  united  in  marriage  to  the  widow  of  Lawrence 
Myers,  Esq.,  of  Kingston.  He  lived  for  many  years  in 
that  place,  a  superannuated  minister,  much  respected 
and  beloved  by  all  his  neighbors.  He  finally  died  from 
a  cancer  on  his  nose. 


BENJAMIN  BIDLACK.  341 

In  the  year  1825,  we  think,  the  citizens  of  Wilkes- 
barre  called  upon  the  venerable  man  for  a  Fourth  of 
July  oration.  The  surviving  soldiers  of  the  Kevolu- 
tion  were  invited  in  from  all  the  region  round  about, 
and  they  constituted  quite  a  respectable  company.  Each 
had  a  sprig  of  laurel  attached  to  the  left  breast  of  his 
coat.  The  orator  was  then  as  straight  as  an  arrow, 
and  marched  to  the  music  like  any  trained  soldier, 
keeping  the  step  while  the  band  poured  out  the  old 
national  air,  Yankee  Doodle,  in  the  very  best  style. 
The  oration  consisted  principally  of  a  narrative  of  the 
events  of  the  Eevolutionary  war  as  they  came  under 
his  own  observation.  His  text  or  motto  was,  "For 
consider  how  great  things  the  Lord  hath  done  for 
you."  His  doctrine  was  that  the  hand  of  God  was 
evidently  concerned  in  the  events  of  the  Revolution. 

He  kept  General  Washington  constantly  before  the 
audience.  "  When  the  Hessians  were  captured,"  said 
he,  "  the  general  rode  round  among  the  men,  who  were 
falling  upon  the  spoils,  and  said,  *  My  brave  fellows, 
don't  drink  and  become  intoxicated.  God  has  given 
us  the  victory,  but  the  enemy,  in  large  force,  is  just  at 
hand,  and,  should  they  find  any  of  you  lying  upon  the 
ground,  which  they  will  be  sure  to  visit  in  a  few  hours, 
you  will  lose  your  lives.'  He  rode  from  company  to 
company,  repeating  the  same  caution  with  the  greatest 
earnestness." 

His  description  of  the  cannonading  of  the  British 
works  at  Yorktown  was  most  thrilling.  "  For  four 
teen  days  and  nights,"  said  the  orator,  "there  was  one 
continual  thunder  and  blaze.  At  night  it  was  so  light 
that  you  could  see  to  pick  up  a  pin.  A  white  flag  was 
raised  from  the  British  breastworks,  and  the  firing 
ceased.  It  seemed  as  though  the  wheels  of  nature 


342 


i 

WYOMING. 


stood  still;  the  silence  was  really  distressing.  Corn- 
wallis  proposed  to  leave  the  ground  with  the  honors 
of  war,  with  colors  flying,  and  to  embark  his  army  on 
the  English  ships  in  the  nearest  harbor.  'No,'  was 
the  answer,  and  the  parley  closed.  '  Now,'  said  Wash 
ington,  '  give  it  to  them  hotter  than  ever.'  And,  sure 
enough,  the  storm  of  the  battle  raged  more  terribly 
than  ever.  They  soon  came  to  terms,  and  the  heart 
of  the  war  was  broken." 


BENJAMIN   BIDLACK.  343 

The  illustration  is  a  truthful  representation  of  the 
Kev.  Benjamin  Bidlack  in  his  preaching  attitude  in  a 
private  house,  behind  an  old-fashioned  chair.  The 
sketch  was  executed  by  the  Eev.  Marmaduke  Pearce, 
it  is  supposed,  after  hearing  the  old  patriarch  preach  a 
funeral  sermon  in  his  own  neighborhood. 


WYOMING. 


XIV. 

A  VIEW  FROM  CAMPBELL'S  LEDGE,  CONTRIBUTED  BY 

REV.  L.  W.  PECK. 

AT  the  head  of  Wyoming  Valley  is  Campbell's 
Ledge.  The  Susquehanna  comes  in  from  the  north 
west,  and  the  Lackawanna  winds  around  the  base  of 
the  mountain  from  the  northeast  to  mingle  with  the 
larger  and  bolder  river.  The  mountain  whose  base 
they  thus  lave,  and  separate  from  the  valley,  is  crowned 
by  Campbell's  Ledge.  Having  a  few  hours  at  Pitts- 
ton,  I  cast  my  eye  wishfully  over  at  the  mountain,  a 
distance  of  about  two  miles,  and  resolved  to  make  the 
ascent.  I  was  alone.  My  way  led  over  the  canal  bridge, 
over  the  viaduct,  and  across  the  meadows  to  the  mount 
ain.  I  had  just  entered  the  wood  and  begun  the  as 
cent  when  a  beautiful  pheasant  started  out  near  my 
feet,  and  ran  some  distance  through  the  leaves,  and  then 
flew  into  the  deep  forest.  I  pursued  my  way,  follow 
ing  an  old  mountain  road,  or  making  a  path  for  my 
self  through  the  underbrush.  At  length  I  came  out 
upon  a  plateau  of  ground  gently  sloping  to  the  north ; 
but  the  thick  foliage  would  permit  no  view  of  the  val 
ley,  which  I  was  looking  for  as  one  looks  for  the  genial 
face  of  an  old  friend.  Still  I  wandered  on,  seeking  the 
higher  ground,  but  no  ledge  was  visible.  A  pile  of 
rocks,  crowned  with  a  scraggy  oak,  now  and  then  ap 
peared,  but  nothing  was  to  be  seen  that  answered  the 
description  I  had  received.  I  began  to  reproach  my 
self  for  coming  without  a  guide,  and  wondered  whether 
I  should  know  Campbell's  Ledge  if  I  should  happen 


A  VIEW  FROM  CAMPBELL'S  LEDGE.         347 

to  come  in  sight  of  it.  The  woods  at  last  became 
more  open,  and  I  saw  the  mountains  at  the  west  nearer. 
I  turned  at  once  toward  them,  when  I  found  myself 
just  ready  to  step  off  from  the  abrupt  brow  of  a  fright 
ful  precipice.  I  seized  hold  of  a  tree  and  hung  upon 
the  verge,  and  gazed  down  with  awe  upon  the  calm 
river,  the  green  fields,  and  the  grazing  flocks  hundreds 
of  feet  below.  This,  said  I,  in  a  subdued  breath,  is 
Campbell's  Ledge. 

I  sank  back  upon  the  grass,  and  looked  down  upon 
Wyoming  cradled  between  the  mountains.  The  view 
of  the  Valley  here  presented  differs  from  every  other. 
The  hilly  portions  are  more  prominent,  and  undulate 
far  away  southward  till  they  terminate  in  the  mount 
ains.  The  river,  like  a  broken  belt  of  steel,  is  seen 
here  and  there  glittering  in  the  sun.  I  have  often 
wandered  in  Wyoming,  admiring  her  beauty,  but 
Campbell's  Ledge  inspired  me  with  a  new  emotion, 
-  that  of  overpowering  sublimity.  This  view  reminds 
me  of  the  Hudson  and  the  Catskills,  but  the  precipice 
is  more  stupendous  than  that  on  which  stands  the 
Mountain  House.  Ye  grand  old  mountains,  which 
laugh  in  the  sunshine  and  reverberate  in  the  storm, 
"  ye  are  wondrous  strong,  yet  lovely  in  your  strength." 
I  have  been  carrying  in  my  mind,  amid  these  scenes, 
the  stirring  words  of  Buskin : 

"Mountains  are  to  the  rest  of  the  earth  what  mus 
cular  action  is  to  the  body  of  man.  The  muscles  and 
tendons  of  its  anatomy  are,  in  the  mountains,  brought 
out  with  force  and  convulsive  energy,  full  of  expres 
sion,  passion,  and  strength  ;  the  plains  and  lower  hills 
are  the  repose  and  the  effortless  motion  of  the  frame, 
when  its  muscles  lie  dormant  and  concealed  beneath 
the  lines  of  its  beauty,  yet  ruling  those  lines  in  their 


348  WYOMING. 

every  undulation.  This,  then,  is  the  first  grand  prin 
ciple  of  the  truth  of  the  earth.  The  spirit  of  the  hills 
is  action,  that  of  the  lowlands  repose ;  and  between 
these  there  is  to  be  found  every  variety  of  motion  and 
of  rest,  from  the  inactive  plain,  sleeping  like  the  firma 
ment,  with  cities  for  stars,  to  the  fiery  peaks,  which, 
with  heaving  bosoms  and  exulting  limbs,  with  the 
clouds  drifting  like  hair  from  their  bright  foreheads, 
lift  up  their  Titan  hands  to  heaven,  saying,  '  I  live  for 
ever.'  " 

There  is  a  wild  legend  which  has  given  the  name 
to  this  ledge.  A  man  named  Campbell  was  pursued 
bv  the  Indians.  He  had  taken  refuge  in  the  ravines 
01  this  mountain,  where  are  many  fine  living  springs, 
and  where  the  thick  foliage  afforded  a  safe  shelter. 
But  the  fierce  Ked  Men  are  on  his  track.  He  is  an  old 
enemy,  and  is  singled  out  for  special  torture.  He 
knows  his  fate  if  taken.  He  tries  every  path  that 
winds  out  into  the  deeper  forest,  but  without  success. 
He  is  hemmed  in  like  the  roe  by  the  relentless  wolves. 
But  he  does  not  hesitate;  he  springs  forward  to  the 
verge  of  the  hanging  rock.  One  glance  behind  him 
shows  him  that  escape  is  utterly  hopeless.  The  shouts 
of  the  savages  are  heard  as  they  rush  upon  their  prey. 
With  a  scream  of  defiance,  he  leaps  into  the  friendly 
arms  of  death. 

The  solemn  traditions  of  the  olden  time  were  steal 
ing  around  me  like  an  enchanter's  spell  as  I  gazed 
down  upon  the  plain  and  the  river  where  once  my 
kindred  struggled  with  the  dusky  foe.  A  loud  yell, 
as  if  a  thousand  Indian  warriors  were  in  the  wood, 
started  me  to  my  feet ;  it  was  the  whistle  of  the  loco 
motive,  which  told  of  civilization  bursting  through  the 
ancient  gloom. 


TIIK   FALLING 


RICHARD  GARDNER.  351 


XV. 

AN  INTERVIEW  WITH  RICHARD   GARDNER. 

"  So  must  thou  live  till,  like  ripe  fruit,  thou  drop 
Into  thy  mother's  lap,  or  be  with  ease 
Gather'd,  not  harshly  pluck'd,  for  death  mature : 
This  is  old  age."  MILTON. 

WE  had  been  told  that  "old  Mr.  Gardner,  of  Ex 
eter,"  was  "  almost  a  hundred  years  old,"  and  that  he 
could  give  a  great  amount  of  information  in  relation 
to  Revolutionary  times ;  that  he  had  been  a  prisoner 
among  the  Indians  for  a  long  time,  and  had  suffered 
untold  miseries  in  cruel  captivity.  We  resolved  upon 
an  early  visit  to  the  residence  of  the  centenarian.  On 
a  beautiful  morning  early  in  June,  1857,  we  took  the 
cars  for  Pittston,  where  we  procured  a  horse  and  bug 
gy,  and  proceeded  through  the  long  narrows  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Susquehanna.  Passing  the  bold  front 
of  Campbell's  Ledge,  we  wound  our  way  along  on  the 
North  Branch  Canal,  which  is  protected  on  the  river 
side  by  a  sea-wall.  A  short  distance  above  Campbell's 
Ledge  a  beautiful  cascade  comes  rushing  from  the 
height,  called  Falling  Spring.  Upon  the  top  of  the 
mountain  is  a  small  spruce  swamp,  formed  by  never-fail 
ing  springs.  From  this  swamp  issues  the  rill  which  falls 
over  the  precipice,  and  presents  the  beautiful  object 
copied  in  the  accompanying  picture.  On  the  road-side 
a  perpendicular  wall  is  built  to  the  level  of  the  road, 
but  there  is  no  barrier  whatever  to  prevent  the  traveler 
from  being  precipitated  into  the  canal  in  case  a  horse 
should  be  frightened  and  become  unmanageable. 


352  WYOMING. 

The  road  is  narrow,  in  general  not  affording  room 
for  two  carriages  to  pass.  The  almost  perpendicular 
ledge  of  rocks  has  been  blasted  out  to  make  room  for 
the  canal  and  the  road.  The  rocky  steep  above  frowns 
down  upon  the  passenger  in  awful  majesty.  Now  you 
find  the  broken  fragments  of  trees  which  have  been 
precipitated  from  the  lofty  height  above,  and  then  vast 
masses  of  rock  which  have  been  rent  from  their  an 
cient  beds  by  the  frost,  tumbled  down  the  steep,  and 
have  filled  up  the  narrow  pass,  a  portion  of  them  hav 
ing  been  removed,  leaving  space  barely  sufficient  for 
the  passage  of  a  carriage.  Often  the  awful  visage  of 
the  mountain  height  seems  to  assume  an  air  of  pen- 
siveness,  and  weeps  streams  and  gushing  rivulets,  as 
though  in  grief  for  the  wounds  and  fractures  inflicted 
upon  her  slopes  and  precipices,  and  her  separation  from 
immediate  communion  with  her  ancient  friend  and 
companion,  the  great  and  noble  Susquehanna.  Such 
havoc  do  modern  improvements  make  of  the  sublime 
beauties  of  nature  that  the  very  rocks  and  hills  are 
convulsed  with  agony. 

We  have  often  passed  these  terrible  narrows,  but 
never  without  a  sort  of  terror.  We  can  never  help 
asking  ourselves,  What  if  some  of  the  huge  masses  of 
rock,  which  seem  just  ready  to  topple  from  their  foun 
dation,  should  take  a  leap  just  as  we  are  passing?  In 
a  moment  we  should  be  ground  to  powder.  A  mere 
pebble  falling  down  the  precipice  might  at  any  time 
frighten  the  horse  of  the  traveler,  and  occasion  an  un 
lucky  leap  into  the  canal.  Either  of  these  events  are 
possible,  and  more  or  less  probable,  at  any  moment; 
the  providence  of  God,  however,  preserved  us,  and  we 
made  the  trip  in  safety. 

In  due  time  we  reached  "  Gardner's  Ferry,"  six  miles 


RICHARD  GARDNER.  353 

above  the  mouth  of  the  Lackawanna.  Coming  up  to 
an  ancient  dwelling — one  with  which  we  were  famil 
iar  near  forty  years  ago — upon  the  stoop  we  saw  a 
venerable  man,  much  bent  down,  leaning  upon  a  cane. 
"We  asked  him  if  his  name  was  Gardner.  "  Yes ;  but 
you  have  the  advantage  of  me :  I  don't  know  you," 
was  the  response.  After  being  informed  of  the  object 
of  our  visit,  he  commenced  conversation  standing.  His 
position  seemed  so  uneasy  that  we  were  pained,  and 
we  suggested  that  perhaps  he  had  better  be  seated. 
We  were  then  invited  into  the  house,  and  shown  to  a 
chair.  Several  respectable-looking  females  were  pres 
ent,  who  looked  inquisitively  as  we,  without  farther 
ceremony,  entered  into  conversation. 

Mr.  Gardner  had  never  been  a  prisoner  among  the 
Indians.  His  father  was  made  a  prisoner  when  the 
Hardings  were  killed,  as  he  was  in  the  field  at  work 
with  them  at  the  time,  on  the  west  side  of  the  river. 
He  never  returned,  but,  as  they  learned,  was  cruelly 
tortured  by  the  savages,  being  burned  alive. 

Mrs.  Alexander,  from  whom  we  received  much  in 
formation  in  relation  to  Colonel  Hollenback,  has  fur 
nished  us  with  the  following  painful  tale  of  the  last  in 
terview  between  Mr.  Gardner  and  his  afflicted  compan 
ion.  She  says: 

"  I  will  relate  a  fact  which  was  told  to  my  mother 
and  myself  by  Mrs.  Jenkins,  the  wife  of  Lieutenant 
Jenkins.  She,  with  a  Mrs.  Gardner,  was  at  Fort  Jen 
kins  after  its  capitulation.  The  husband  of  Mrs.  Gard 
ner  was  a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  the  Tories  and  In 
dians,  and  she  wished  much  to  see  him  once  more,  and 
asked  Mrs.  Jenkins  to  accompany  her.  Having  con 
sented  and  obtained  leave,  they  went,  under  escort  of 
young  Wintermoot,  who  was  a  Tory,  and  offered  to  go 


354  WYOMING. 

with  them  upon  the  condition  that  they  would  mani 
fest  no  surprise  or  sorrow  at  the  sight  they  might  see, 
telling  them,  at  the  time,  that  they  would  behold  many 
strange  and  heart-rending  ones. 

"  They  therefore  schooled  themselves  to  appear  in 
different,  and  entered  the  camp  as  coolly  as  possible. 
Mrs.  Gardner  obtained  an  interview  with  her  husband, 
who  told  her  that  he  was  well  aware  they  would  never 
meet  again.  He  was  lame,  and  knowing  that  if  unable 
to  keep  pace  with  his  captors  when  on  the  march  they 
would  kill  him,  he  advised  her  to  take  their  two  little 
boys  and  go  to  Connecticut,  and  remain  with  her 
friends  until,  the  troubles  being  over  in  Wyoming,  it 
would  be  safe  to  return  and  live  upon  the  farm  he  had 
purchased  her,  bidding  her  a  lasting  farewell.  During 
all  the  time  she  had  such  possession  of  herself  as  to 
exhibit  no  outward  sign  of  sorrow.  Mrs.  Jenkins  also 
told  us-  that  the  Indians  were  at  that  time  busily  en 
gaged  in  burning  their  victims.  They  had  thrown 
down  an  old  dry  pine  fence,  and  piled  upon  it  the 
dead,  wounded,  and  some  unhurt  white  men,  added 
more  combustible  matter,  and  set  it  on  fire ;  and  that 
the  whole  line  of  the  fence  was  filled  with  the  charred 
bones  and  flesh  of  the  poor  creatures,  and  men  still 
burning :  an  awful  sight,  and  I  do  not  doubt  her  state 
ment  of  the  facts." 

Mr.  Miner  gives  the  following  account  of  Mr.  Gard 
ner's  captivity  and  death :  "  One  taken  at  Exeter  the 
first  of  July,  when  the  Hardings  and  Hadsels  were 
massacred,  deserves  our  special  notice.  Mr.  John  Gard 
ner  was  a  husband  and  a  father,  a  highly  respectable 
man,  against  whom  some  unappeasable  spirit  of  enmity 
is  supposed  to  have  existed.  On  the  morning  of  the 
fourth,  his  wife  and  child  were  permitted  to  see  and 


RICHARD   GARDNER.  355 

take  leave  of  him.  Elisha  Harding,  Esq.,  then  a  boy, 
was  present,  and  represents  the  scene  as  extremely  af 
fecting.  When  the  last  adieu  was  exchanged,  an  In 
dian  placed  a  grievous  load  on  his  shoulders  which  he 
could  scarcely  raise,  then  put  a  halter  round  his  neck, 
and  led  him  off  as  he  would  a  beast.  The  farewell  ex 
pressed  the  sentiment,  1 1  go  to  return  no  more.'  Ex 
hausted  with  fatigue  before  he  arrived  at  his  captor's 
home,  he  fell,  crushed  by  the  weight  of  his  load,  when 
he  was  handed  over  to  the  squaws,  who  tortured  him 
to  death  by  fire.  Daniel  Carr,  a  fellow-prisoner,  saw 
the  remains  the  following  day,  and  represented  it  as  a 
sight  to  awaken  the  deepest  pity." 

At  the  time  of  the  Indian  battle  Mr.  Gardner  was 
eleven  years  of  age,  and  was  with  his  mother  in  a  fort 
on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  immediately  opposite  the 
place  where  Pittston  now  stands;  he  knew  not  by 
what  name  the  fort  was  called.  The  fort  consisted  of 
a  house  built  of  hewed  logs,  and  surrounded  by  a 
stockade :  it  was  Fort  Jenkins. 

They  heard  the  firing  plainly  on  the  day  of  the  bat 
tle,  and  on  the  day  following  learned  that  "  our  army 
was  cut  off."  On  that  day  Butler  sent  in  a  flag,  and 
demanded  the  surrender  of  the  fort.*  There  was  no 
body  there  to  defend  the  fort  but  women  and  children, 
and  a  few  old  men.  The  gate  was  opened,  and  the  In 
dians  and  Tories  came  in.  They  ordered  all  the  things 
taken  out  of  the  house  and  spread  upon  the  ground. 
They  then  set  fire  to  the  house,  and,  after  taking  what 
they  wanted  of  the  goods  which  lay  upon  the  ground, 
they  went  away,  and  no  more  was  seen  of  them. 

*  The  articles  of  capitulation  are  signed  July  1,  1778,  but  it  prob 
ably  was  not  thought  necessary  to  enter  it,  as  it  was  a  small,  helpless 
concern. 


356  WYOMING. 

"  Several  of  the  Tories  who  were  with  the  Indians," 
said  Mr.  Gardner,  "had  often  been  at  my  father's 
house,  and  been  kindly  treated  there.  One  by  the 
name  of  Vanderlip,  and  another  by  the  name  of  Show 
ers,  I  distinctly  recollect.  I  saw  upon  the  Indians 
clothes  taken  from  the  bodies  of  our  men  covered  with 
blood."  This  is  the  amount  of  Mr.  Gardner's  personal 
knowledge  of  the  wars  of  Wyoming.  The  first  Penn- 
amite  and  Yankee  war  had  subsided  when  his  father 
came  into  the  country,  and  the  last  was  concluded  be 
fore  he  returned  finally  to  remain. 

The  old  men,  with  the  women  and  children  who 
were  in  the  fort,  left  the  country  and  returned  to  Con 
necticut.  Mr.  Gardner's  mother  had  a  young  child, 
which  she  nursed  and  carried  in  her  arms.  The  feeble 
and  defenseless  little  company  traveled  through  the 
swamp  on  foot.  There  was  no  road  but  a  mere  foot 
path,  and  no  bridges  across  the  streams.  They  suffer 
ed  indescribably  from  hunger  and  weakness,  but,  by 
the  most  indomitable  perseverance,  they  finally  reach 
ed  the  settled  country,  where  they  received  aid  and 
comfort  from  the  people. 

What  fearful  times  were  these!  The  strength  of 
the  settlement  was  gone.  The  husbands,  sons,  and 
brothers,  who  were  expected  to  clear  the  farms  and 
raise  the  bread,  had  perished  upon  the  field  of  battle, 
or  been  led  away  into  hopeless  bondage.  A  few  old 
men  leaning  upon  their  staves,  mothers  with  infants 
at  their  breasts,  and  boys  and  girls  of  tender  age,  were 
left  in  a  country  overrun  by  murderous  savages,  with 
out  food,  and  often  stripped  of  their  clothing,  until  not 
enough  was  left  to  screen  their  bodies  from  the  ex 
tremities  of  the  weather,  and  in  this  condition  obliged 
to  undertake  a  long  journey  through  the  wilderness 


RICHAKD  GAKDNER.  357 

on  foot.  The  fathers  and  mothers  had  lost  the  sup 
port  of  their  age,  and  the  wives  and  the  children  their 
natural  protectors  and  their  only  earthly  source  of  de 
pendence.  One  old  gentleman  lost  three  sons  in  the 
battle,  and  thus,  in  an  hour,  was  left  with  three  widows 
and  twelve  helpless,  fatherless  children  upon  his  hands 
to  provide  for !  What  were  the  sufferings  of  the  be 
reaved  fathers,  mothers,  wives,  and  children  on  that 
memorable  occasion,  it  is  impossible  to  tell  or  even  to 
conceive.  Look  for  a  moment  at  the  mother  of  Mr. 
Gardner — made  a  widow  under  the  most  heart-rending 
circumstances,  with  a  child  hanging  to  her  breast,  and 
a  little  boy  scarcely  able  to  take  care  of  himself,  on  so 
long  and  laborious  a  journey.  Why  did  she  not  faint, 
or  give  herself  up  to  inconsolable  grief  or  to  utter  de 
spair  ?  Ah !  the  women  of  those  times  were  made  of 
stern  stuff.  How  nobly  they  bore  themselves  when 
the  storm  beat  furiously  upon  them,  when  the  iron 
entered  into  their  souls.  There  was  a  religious  ele 
ment  in  their  character,  which  came  to  their  relief  in 
that  terrible  day  of  need.  When  they  could  truly 
say,  "All  thy  waves  and  thy  billows  are  gone  over 
me,"  they  could  also  add,  "Yet  the  Lord  will  com 
mand  his  loving  kindness  in  the  daytime,  and  in  the 
night  his  song  shall  be  with  me,  and  my  prayer  unto 
the  God  of  my  life." 

At  the  age  of  twenty-one  Mr.  Gardner  married  and 
returned  to  Wyoming.  He  settled  upon  land  which 
his  father  had  occupied,  and  there  he  has  lived  from 
that  day  to  the  present.  He  established  a  ferry,  and 
often  was  subjected  to  great  labor,  and  exposed  to  great 
danger  on  the  river.  He  is  now  a  most  remarkable 
man.  He  was  ninety  years  of  age  the  eighth  day  of  last 
February.  He  has  suffered  from  several  casualties, 


358  WYOMING. 

but  still  his  constitution  remains  unbroken,  and  his  in 
tellect  is  sound. 

Soon  after  he  settled  in  the  country  he  received  an 
injury  in  one  of  his  elbows,  which  has  ever  since  been 
to  him  a  source  of  trouble,  although  it  did  not  make 
him  a  cripple.  In  a  bear-hunt,  one  of  his  companions, 
not  perceiving  that  Mr.  Gardner  was  nearly  in  range 
between  him  and  a  ferocious  old  dam  with  two  cubs, 
drew  up  his  piece  and  fired  just,  as  his  friend  was  in 
the  same  act.  Unfortunately,  the  ball  struck  his  el 
bow.  "  I've  hit  her,"  exclaimed  the  delighted  hunter. 
"  You've  hit  me,"  answered  Mr.  Gardner.  The  blood 
streamed  from  the  arm  of  the  wounded  man,  while  the 
bear  escaped  unhurt.  They  were  in  the  woods  some 
miles  east  of  the  settlement.  One  of  Mr.  Gardner's 
companions  accompanied  him  home,  while  the  other 
took  a  straight  course  through  the  woods  to  Lacka- 
wanna  to  procure  the  services  of  Dr.  Hooker  Smith. 
It  was  two  days  after  the  wound  was  inflicted  before 
Dr.  Smith  could  be  on  hand.  When  he  came  the  arm 
was  much  inflamed  and  swollen,  and  the  probing,  cut 
ting,  and  picking  out  splinters  of  bone  was  a  most  ter 
rible  operation,  but  it  had  to  be  endured.  The  wound 
was  some  time  in  healing,  and  the  injury  of  the  joint 
was  such  that  the  consequences  were  permanently 
troublesome. 

Two  years  since,  Mr.  Gardner  received  an  injury  to 
his  spine  by  a  fall  in  the  barn.  This  much  increased 
his  stooping  position,  and  considerably  diminished  his 
power  of  locomotion.  He  assured  us  that,  before  he 
received  the  last-mentioned  injury,  he  could  walk  to 
Wilkesbarre,  the  distance  of  fourteen  miles,  and  back 
again  the  same  day ;  indeed,  he  affirmed  he  could  do 
so  now  if  his  back  had  not  been  injured.  Summer 


RICHARD  GARDNER.  359 

before  last,  he  said,  he  laid  up  thirty  rods  of  stone 
fence,  and  he  should  do  a  good  business  in  that  line 
this  season,  if  his  son  could  find  time  to  draw  the  stone. 
On  the  day  before  our  visit  he  had  crossed  the  river, 
walked  three  miles,  helped  his  son-in-law  plant  his  po 
tatoes,  and  returned  before  sundown.  If  he  stood 
erect,  he  would  appear  to  be  about  seventy  years  of 
age — perhaps  not  so  old.  He  is  one  of  that  small  class 
of  human  beings  who  seem  to  defy  the  laws  of  natu 
ral  decay. 

Mr.  Gardner  had  been  twice  married,  and  been 
blessed  with  thirteen  children,  two  of  whom  died  in 
childhood,  while  the  remaining  eleven  lived  to  mature 
years.  Two  of  the  number  have  been  cripples  from 
early  youth.  A  son  had  his  lower  limbs  paralyzed 
when  a  child,  and  they  have  ever  since  been  almost 
incapable  of  locomotion.  He  hitches  about  on  his 
hands  and  hips,  but  is  cheerful,  and  converses  sensibly 
and  with  animation.  He  is  sixty-one  years  of  age. 
A  daughter  walks  upon  crutches  in  consequence  of 
having  lost  the  use  of  one  of  her  limbs  by  a  fever-sore. 

Before  we  left  dinner  was  announced,  and  we  were 
invited  to  "sit  by"  and  share  in  the  repast,  which  we 
did  with  a  relish.  The  table  was  well  supplied,  and 
the  cookery  done  up  in  comfortable  country  style. 
When  all  were  seated,  the  old  gentleman  craved  a 
blessing,  somewhat  in  the  ancient  Puritanic  style  as  to 
length  and  particularity.  We  found  he  had  long  been 
a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  and  should  judge  him 
a  truly  religious  man.  We  asked  him  how  he  enjoyed 
life ;  his  answer  was,  "  Oh,  very  well.  I  have  always 
enjoyed  very  good  health  —  have  never  been  sick 
much,  and  have  no  reason  to  complain." 

Mr.  Gardner  said  that  when  he  first  came  into  the 


360  WYOMING. 

country,  and  for  a  long  time  afterward,  game  was 
abundant  every  where  in  the  woods,  and  the  waters 
furnished  plenty  of  the  finest  fish.  In  the  spring  the 
shad  were  abundant  in  the  river,  and  in  the  little 
stream  not  far  from  his  house,  called  Gardner's  Creek, 
a  mess  of  the  finest  trout  could  be  caught  at  almost 
any  time  except  in  winter. 

Many  years  since,  a  company  of  Indians  passed  down 
the  river  on  their  way  to  Philadelphia,  to  conclude  a 
treaty  with  the  government.  There  seemed  to  be  two 
parties,  one  taking  the  east  and  the  other  the  west  side 
of  the  river.  Several  of  them  lodged  in  an  old,  de 
serted  house  near  by.  He  visited  them,  and  one  of 
them  spoke  good  English.  The  Indian  asked  him  if 
he  ever  saw  an  Indian  before.  "  Yes,"  said  he,  "  at 
the  time  of  the  Wyoming  massacre."  "  Ah !  you  live 
there?"  responded  the  Indian.  "Yes,"  was  the  an 
swer.  From  that  moment  the  Indian  seemed  shy. 
He  finally  said  his  tribe,  the  Oneidas,  were  not  here 
on  that  occasion,  but  some  of  the  other  company  were 
here,  and  he  and  his  friends  would  not  go  in  their  com 
pany,  for  they  expected  every  one  of  them  would  be 
killed.  "How  many  Indians  do  you  think  were  in 
the  battle?"  asked  the  Indian.  "I  do  not  know;  I 
have  heard  about  a  thousand,"  answered  Mr.  Gardner. 
"Oh  no,"  responded  the  Indian,  "not  near  so  many." 

We  take  the  following  account  of  this  visit  of  the 
Indians  to  Wyoming  from  Mr.  Miner :  "  Fifteen  years 
after  the  battle,  a  number  of  Indians,  among  whom 
were  several  chiefs  of  distinction,  passed  through  Wy 
oming  on  their  way  to  Philadelphia,  on  business  with 
the  government.  Apprehending  danger,  they  sent 
word  to  Wilkesbarre,  and  an  escort  of  respectable  cit 
izens  turned  out  to  accompany  them  into  the  town. 


RICHARD   GARDNER.  361 

In  the  evening  a  council  was  held  in  the  court-room, 
where  mutually  pacific  assurances  were  given.  It  is 
not  surprising,  considering  their  cruel  conduct  during 
the  war,  that  the  Indians  entertained  fears  for  their 
safety.  On  their  return,  passing  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  river  from  the  battle-ground,  the  old  braves 
showed  much  excitement,  talking  and  gesticulating 
with  great  emphasis  and  spirit,  as  they  seemed  to  be 
pointing  out  to  the  younger  savages  the  position  and 
incidents  of  the  conflict.  I  met  Eed  Jacket  at  Wash 
ington  in  1827  or  '8,  and  strove  to  lead  him  to  talk  of 
Wyoming,  but  on  that  subject  his  lips  were  hermetic 
ally  sealed." 

From  this  time,  we  believe,  no  Indians  visited  Wy 
oming  until  the  summer  of  1852,  when  a  company  of 
performers  made  their  appearance  in  Wilkesbarre. 
They  rode  through  the  town  in  single  file  in  native  cos 
tume,  and  whooped,  and  yelled,  and  performed  many 
curious  feats.  At  night  they  had  a  war-dance  on  the 
bank  of  the  river,  on  the  ground  of  the  old  fort.  Few 
of  the  people  who  had  been  raised  in  the  Valley  ever 
saw  an  Indian  before,  and,  of  course,  they  were  objects 
of  great  curiosity. 

Mr.  Gardner's  conversation  is  all  in  a  plain,  straight 
forward  style,  without  a  particle  of  enthusiasm,  and 
exhibits  evidence  of  an  xmimpaired  intellect.  We  left 
him,  and  returned  right  well  satisfied  with  our  trip 
through  the  Narrows.  We  had  learned  some  things, 
and  among  them  was  the  fact  that  there  were  some 
other  things  not  to  be  learned. 

Q 


362  WYOMING. 


XVI. 

PKOVIDENTIAL  DELIVERANCE  OF  EUFUS  BENNET  ON 
THE   FATAL   3D  OF  JULY. 

"  Woe  to  the  variquish'd  !  was  stern  Runo's  word 
When  sunk  proud  Rome  beneath  the  Gallic  sword  : 
Woe  to  the  vanquish'd !  when  his  massy  blade 
Bore  down  the  scale  against  her  ransom  weigh'd ; 
And  on  the  field  of  foughten  battle  still, 
War  knows  no  limit  save  the  victor's  will." 

Tlie  Gailliard. 

"  Slaughter  grows  murther  when  it  goes  too  far, 
And  makes  a  massacre  what  was  a  war." 

DRYDEN. 

THE  retreat  of  the  patriot  army  on  the  fatal  3d  of 
July  became  a  flight  and  a  massacre.  Each  man  shift 
ed  for  himself  as  best  he  could,  and  the  more  swift  on 
foot  took  the  lead.  The  Indians,  frantic  with  the  war 
spirit  and  thirsty  for  blood,  shot  down,  scalped,  and 
tomahawked  those  they  overtook.  More  than  two 
hundred  of  the  New  England  people  fell  in  that  ill- 
judged  and  disastrous  encounter.  A  portion  of  these 
were  first  captured,  and  then  massacred  in  cold  blood. 
Very  few — it  is  thought  only  two — of  those  who  were 
captured  upon  the  field  of  battle  escaped  torture.  Of 
Butler's  Loyalists  and  Indians  from  fifty  to  eighty  are 
supposed  to  have  fallen,  but  no  reliable  report  of  the 
number  has  ever  been  made.  It  is  reported  that  all 
the  "shovels  and  picks"  which  could  be  raised  were 
put  into  requisition  the  next  morning.  This  certainly 
was  not  for  the  purpose  of  burying  our  people,  for  they 
were  all  left  above  ground.  The  facts  will  probably 


RUFUS  BENNET.  363 

never  be  revealed  until  the  morning  of  the  resurrec 
tion,  when  it  is  probable  that  "  the  marsh"  will  yield 
up  some  scores  of  the  Ked  Men  who  fell  upon  that 
memorable  day.* 

In  the  flight  and  chase  down  the  plains,  there  were 
hair-breadth  and  providential  escapes  as  well  as  dia 
bolical  deeds  of  cruelty.  Among  the  strange  escapes 
we  would  notice  that  of  Eufus  Bennet,  a  young  man 
of  seventeen  years  of  age.  He  was  tall  and  slender, 
but  resolute  and  quick  of  foot.  He  was  hotly  pur 
sued  by  two  stalwart  Indians,  one  of  them  close  be 
hind  him.  Colonel  Butler,  who  was  almost  the  last  to 
leave  the  ground,  galloped  his  horse  close  by  Bennet. 
Quick  as  lightning  he  seized  the  long  switch  tail  of 
the  colonel's  horse.  He  now  made  long  strides,  and 
hoped  to  out-distance  his  pursuers.  They,  however, 
presuming  upon  the  fact  that  he  would  not  be  able 
long  to  keep  his  hold,  kept  on  at  the  top  of  their  speed, 
although  for  a  few  moments  they  fell  in  the  rear. 

Bennet  broke  his  hold,  and  his  spirit  sunk.     He  and 

*  Since  writing  the  above,  we  have  learned  from  John  Bennet, 
Esq.,  of  Kingston,  that  when  his  uncle  Solomon  was  in  Wyoming 
last — in  1820 — he  went  with  him  upon  the  battle-ground,  and  show 
ed  him  where  he  stood  when  the  battle  began,  and  how  far  they 
pushed  John  Butler's  men.  He  also  pointed  out  the  spot  where  the 
British  and  Indians  who  were  killed  were  buried.  It  was  on  what 
was  called  "the  Island,"  in  the  marsh,  under  some  large  yellow 
pines  which  were  then  standing.  There  sixty  were  consigned  to 
their  long  resting-place  by  their  fellow-royalists— British,  Tories,  and 
Indians.  The  number  of  the  slain  and  the  place  of  burial  were  com 
municated  to  Mr.  Solomon  Bennet  by  the  Wintermoots  and  Secords 
in  Canada  in  1812.  Mr.  Bennet  was  in  Canada  upon  a  visit  to  a 
daughter  when  the  late  war  broke  out,  and  there  was  obliged  to  re 
main  for  about  two  years,  and  during  this  period  he  had  frequent 
interviews  with  his  old  Tory  acquaintances  above  named,  who  were 
perfectly  frank  in  their  communications. 


364  WYOMING. 

the  Indians  had  severally  discharged  their  guns  and 
could  not  take  time  to  reload,  and  there  was  no  hope 
for  the  poor  fellow  but  in  a  deadly  close  encounter 
against  great  odds.  The  foremost  of  the  two,  toma 
hawk  in  hand,  now  rapidly  gained  upon  his  supposed 
victim,  and,  with  a  yell  which  echoed  from  mountain 
to  mountain,  bounded  forward  like  the  bloodthirsty 
wolf  in  pursuit  of  the  exhausted  fawn.  A  few  more 
leaps,  and  his  prey  would  be  secure. 

On  the  march  of  the  little  army  up  the  plains,  Rich 
ard  Inman  had  fallen  back  from  the  ranks,  and  lay 
down  in  a  wheat-field  just  above  Tuttle's  Creek.  It 
is  said  that  he  had  "taken  a  little  too  much,"  and  re 
quiring  a  nap,  he  flung  himself  upon  the  ground  and 
fell  asleep.  By  the  time  the  fugitives  came  rushing 
down  from  the  battle-field  Inman  had  come  to  him 
self,  and  when  he  heard  the  heavy  tread  of  Colonel 
Butler's  horse  he  began  to  rub  open  his  eyes.  The 
colonel  saw  him  lift  his  head  and  lay  his  chin  in  his 
hand,  his  elbow  resting  on  the  ground.  Throwing  the 
point  of  his  sword  back,  Colonel  Butler  roared  out, 
"  Inman,  shoot  that  Indian !" 

Inman  was  a  dead  shot,  and  the  order  was  no  soon 
er  given  than  it  was  obeyed.  Crack  went  Inman's 
rifle,  and  down  fell  the  Indian  brave.  He  fell  within 
a  few  feet  of  the  exhausted  fugitive,  and  his  compan 
ion  was  not  far  behind  him. 

The  next  moment,  and  Bennet  would  have  spent 
the  last  remnant  of  vital  power,  fallen  prostrate  upon 
the  ground,  and  been  scalped  and  tomahawked.  He 
was  a  young  man  of  nerve ;  he  neither  fell  into  a 
swoon  nor  forgot  that  another  foe  was  upon  his  track. 
Gathering  up  his  energies,  he  was  now  ready,  sup 
ported  by  his  friend,  to  give  battle  hand  to  hand  to 
the  remaining  savage ;  he,  however,  came  to  a  sudden 


RUFUS  BENNET.  367 

pause,  turned  about,  and  took  to  his  heels.  The  crack 
of  Inman's  rifle  and  the  fall  of  the  Indian  warrior  had 
measurably  restored  the  equilibrium  of  Bennet's  sys 
tem,  and,  after  a  few  long  breaths,  he  and  his  com 
panion  were  on  their  way  to  the  fort,  where  they  ar 
rived  without  farther  molestation.* 

Eufus  Bennet  married  Martha  Bennet,  a  young 
woman  of  the  same  name,  but  not  immediately  related 
to  him,  and  settled  in  Hanover,  where  he  raised  a  large 
family,  and  lived  to  advanced  years.  His  wife  out 
lived  him,  and  after  long  having  been  called  "  Aunt 
Martha,"  was  by  every  body  called  "Grandmother." 
She  died  one  mile  below  Wilkesbarre  in  the  year 
1853.  "We  visited  her  upon  her  dying-bed,  and,  al 
though  in  the  very  jaws  of  death,  she  entertained  us 
for  an  hour  or  more  with  accounts  of  "the  battle" 
and  the  flight  "  through  the  swamp." 

The  company  she  was  in  "  went  through  Capouse 
on  to  Shehola,  and  across  Jersey."  They  were  in  con 
stant  excitement  from  fear  of  Indians.  At  Capouse 
they  found  one  of  the  settlers — if  we  recollect  right,  a 
Mr.  St.  John — lying  dead  in  the  road,  who  had  the 
same  day  been  shot  and  scalped,  f 

*  The  Inman  family  were  great  patriots,  and  suffered  severely  from 
the  Indians.  Three  of  Kichard's  brothers  fell  victims  to  their  bar 
barous  cruelty.  Richard  lived  to  old  age,  and,  after  the  termination 
of  the  wars,  became  a  religious  man.  Colonel  Edward  Inman,  his 
brother,  was  also,  to  the  day  of  his  death,  a  man  of  influence  and  re 
spectability.  Both  these  veteran  pioneers  had  a  high  reputation  for 
hospitality,  and  were  gratefully  remembered  by  the  early  itinerant 
ministers. 

t  Mr.  Miner  gives  the  following  account  of  the  Capouse  murders. 
"News  came  down  from  Lackawanna  that  Mr.  Hickman,  his  wife 
and  child,  were  murdered  at  Capouse.  The  very  next  day,  two  men, 
by  the  name  of  Leach  and  St.  John,  who  were  removing  with  their 
families,  were  shot  six  miles  up  the  Lackawanna.  One  of  them  had 
a  child  in  his  arms,  which,  with  strange  inconsistency,  the  Indian 


368  WYOMING. 

It  is  not  wonderful  that  impressions  made  upon  the 
minds  of  children  by  these  bloody  scenes  should  be 
durable.  Seventy-five  years  had  elapsed,  and  Mrs. 
Bennet  was  all  but  in  her  death-struggle,  and  yet  she 
seemed  to  have  a  passion  for  thinking  and  conversing 
of  those  awful  scenes.  True  enough,  "  The  ruling 
passion  strong  in  death."  The  day  following  she 
breathed  her  last. 

"We  offered  her  the  consolations  of  religion,  and  com 
mended  her  soul  to  God,  but  have  one  thing  to  regret. 
We  made  no  memorandum  of  the  particular  facts 
which  she  communicated,  and  which  are  now  beyond 
recovery.  Thus  are  the  materials  of  history  constant 
ly  perishing  through  the  mere  thoughtlessness  of  those 
whose  duty  it  is  to  give  them  permanence.  Our  ac 
quaintance  with  Eufus  and  Martha  Bennet  was  long 
and  somewhat  intimate,  and  we  have  general  impres 
sions  of  the  stories  which  we  heard  from  their  lips  of 
the  troublous  days  of  Wyoming,  but  the  particulars, 
except  in  a  few  instances,  are  indistinctly  marked  upon 
the  tablet  of  our  memory.  The  same  remark  we  may 
make  in  relation  to  a  score  or  more  of  those  who  were 
sharers  and  actors  in  the  same  scenes  which  are  pre 
sented  in  this  volume,  who  were  active  members  of 
society  when  we  first  entered  the  Valley.  Diligence 
in  committing  to  writing  what  we  then  heard  from  the 
early  settlers  would  have  furnished  us  with  a  maga 
zine  of  facts  which,  at  this  time,  we  should  prize  above 
silver  or  gold.  Most  of  these  opportunities  are  now 
gone  beyond  the  possibility  of  recovery.  All  we  can 
now  do  is  to  use  what  has  escaped  the  ruins  of  a  past 
generation. 

took  up  and  handed  to  the  mother,  all  covered  with  the  father's 
blood.  Leaving  the  women  in  the  wagon  unhurt,  they  took  the 
scalps  of  their  husbands  and  departed." 


NOAH   HOPKINS.  369 

XYII. 
NOAH  HOPKINS — HIS  LIFE  SAVED  BY  A  SPIDER. 

"To  turn  purveyor  to  an  overgorged 
And  bloated  spider,  till  the  pampered  beast 
Is  made  familiar,  watches  his  approach, 
Comes  at  his  call,  and  serves  him  for  a  friend." — Task. 

"It  is  not,  I  say,  merely  in  a  pious  manner  of  expression  that 
the  Scripture  thus  ascribeth  every  event  to  the  providence  of  God, 
but  it  is  strictly  and  philosophically  true  in  nature  and  reason  that 
there  is  no  such  thing  as  chance  or  accident." — Dr.  S.  CLARKE. 

THE  following  singular  and  providential  escape  we 
copy  from  the  second  edition  of  Colonel  Stone's  His 
tory  of  Wyoming. 

"  Among  the  individual  incidents  marking  this  sin 
gular  tragedy  was  the  following :  Some  of  the  fugitives 
were  pursued  for  a  time  by  a  portion  of  the  Indians, 
and  among  them  was  a  settler  named  Noah  Hopkins 
— a  wealthy  man,  from  the  county  of  Dutchess,  in  the 
State  of  New  York,  bordering  upon  Connecticut.  He 
had  disposed  of  a  handsome  landed  patrimony  in  his 
native  town,  Amenia,  and  invested  the  proceeds  as  a 
shareholder  of  the  Susquehanna  Company,  and  in 
making  preparations  for  removing  to  the  new  colony. 
Finding,  by  the  sounds,  that  the  Indians  were  upon 
his  trail,  after  running  a  long  distance  he  fortunately 
discovered  the  trunk  of  a  large  hollow  tree  upon  the 
ground,  into  which  he  crept.  After  lying  there  sever 
al  hours,  his  apprehensions  of  danger  were  greatly 
quickened  by  the  tread  of  footsteps.  They  approach 
ed,  and  in  a  few  moments  two  or  three  savages  were 
actually  seated  upon  the  log  in  consultation.  He  heard 
the  bullets  rattle  loosely  in  their  pouches.  They  ac- 

Q2 


370  WYOMING. 

tually  looked  into  the  hollow  trunk,  suspecting  that  he 
might  be  there ;  but  the  examination  must  have  been 
slight,  as  they  discovered  no  traces  of  his  presence. 
The  object  of  their  search,  however,  in  after-life  at 
tributed  his  escape  to  the  labors  of  a  busy  spider, 
which,  after  he  crawled  into  the  log,  had  been  indus 
triously  engaged  in  weaving  a  web  over  the  entrance. 
Perceiving  this,  the  Indians  supposed,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  that  the  fugitive  could  not  have  entered  there. 
After  remaining  in  his  place  of  concealment  as  long  as 
nature  could  endure  the  confinement,  Hopkins  crept 
forth,  wandering  in  the  wilderness  without  food  until 
he  was  on  the  point  of  famishing.  In  this  situation, 
knowing  that  he  could  but  die,  he  cautiously  stole 
down  into  the  Valley  again,  whence  five  days  before 
he  had  fled.  All  was  desolation  there.  The  crops 
were  destroyed,  the  cattle  gone,  and  the  smouldering 
brands  and  embers  were  all  that  remained  of  the 
houses.  The  Indians  had  retired,  and  the  stillness  of 
death  prevailed.  He  roamed  about  for  hours  in  search 
of  something  to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  nature,  fording 
or  swimming  the  river  twice  in  his  search.  At  length 
he  discerned  the  carcass  of  a  wild  turkey,  shot  on  the 
morning  of  the  massacre,  but  which  had  been  left  in 
the  flight.  He  quickly  stripped  the  bird  of  his  feath 
ers,  although  it  had  become  somewhat  offensive  by 
lying  in  the  sun,  dressed  it  and  washed  it  in  the  river, 
and  the  first  meal  he  made  therefrom  was  ever  after 
ward  pronounced  the  sweetest  of  his  life.  Upon  the 
strength  of  this  turkey,  with  such  roots  and  herbs  as 
he  could  gather  in  the  way,  he  traveled  until,  after 
incredible  hardships  he  was  obliged  to  encounter — his 
clothes  being  torn  from  his  limbs  in  the  thickets,  and 
his  body  badly  lacerated — he  once  more  found  him 
self  among  the  dwellings  of  civilized  men." 


THE   FRATRICIDE.  371 


XVIII. 
THE   FRATRICIDE. 

THE  story  of  a  Tory  shooting  his  brother  on  Mono- 
easy  Island  on  the  day  of  the  battle,  which  we  have 
told  from  the  historians,  we  believe  has  never  been 
questioned.  Such  an  astonishing  instance  of  deprav 
ity  would  be  past  belief  if  it  were  not  well  authenti 
cated  ;  but,  giving  it  due  credit  upon  the  credibility 
of  the  witnesses,  we  naturally  desire  to  know  some 
thing  of  the  subsequent  history  of  the  perpetrator  of 
so  unnatural  and  barbarous  a  deed.  We  have  obtain 
ed  some  reliable  information  upon  this  subject,  which 
we  will  now  proceed  to  give. 

The  name  of  the  brothers  was  Pencil.  The  Chris 
tian  name  of  the  patriot  was  Henry,  and  that  of  the 
Tory  was  John.  When  John  Pencil  deliberately  shot 
his  brother  Henry,  the  Indians  who  witnessed  the  hor 
rible  crime  seemed  shocked,  and  shook  their  heads, 
muttering,  "Too  bad — too  bad;  kill  his  brother." 

John  Pencil  fled  to  Canada  with  the  other  refugees, 
and  settled  in  a  wilderness.  He  was  twice  chased  by 
wolves,  and  each  time  rescued  by  the  Indians.  The 
savages,  however,  began  to  think  there  was  something 
judicial  in  the  matter,  and  concluded  to  leave  him  to 
the  retributions  of  Providence.  They  said,  "He  too 
wicked — too  wicked;  Great  Spirit  angry;  Indian  no 
more  help  him."  It  was  not  long  before  another  pack 
of  the  ferocious  wild  dogs  scented  the  fratricide,  and 
this  time  they  were  left  to  satisfy  their  thirst  for  his 
blood.  The  miserable  wretch  was  killed  and  devour 
ed,  an  end  well  becoming  such  a  monster. 


372  WYOMING. 

The  death  of  John  Pencil  occurred  not  many  years 
after  the  perpetration  of  the  crime  which  has  given 
him  eminence  among  the  greatest  and  vilest  of  sin 
ners.  It  is  not  our  object  to  moralize  much  upon  the 
circumstances  of  the  death  of  the  fratricide.  It  is, 
however,  not  unworthy  of  notice,  that,  as  the  man's 
crime  was  stupendous,  his  death  was  marked  by  ex 
traordinary  circumstances,  and  such  as  indicate  that 
"there  is  a  God  that  judgeth  in  the  earth." 

The  fact  of  Pencil's  death,  under  the  circumstances 
above  described,  was  communicated  to  Mrs.  Alexander 
by  a  gentleman  from  Canada  who  professed  to  know 
the  truth  of  what  he  related,  and,  so  far  as  could  be 
known  at  the  time,  was  perfectly  reliable. 

The  following  lines  are  by  a  literary  friend : 

The  morning  sun  rose  bright  and  clear, 
The  birds  sang  blithely  on  the  bough ; 

But  many  an  eye  held  trembling  tear, 
And  many  a  one  show'd  troubled  brow. 

****** 

And  there  was  one,  a  tear  was  in  her  eye, 
As  silently  she  gazed  upon  her  Henry  dear, 

Which  spoke  a  language  that  all  words  defy — 
That  jewel  of  the  heart,  a  sympathetic  tear. 

"Oh,  Henry,  go  not  out  to-day," 

His  good  companion  cried ; 
"Can  fiends  snatch  thee  from  me  away?" 

She  wept,  and  sobbed,  and  sighed. 

One  moment  in  each  other's  arms  entwined 

They  stood,  as  one  united  strong ; 
The  next  saw  Henry  tread  the  wild, 

Toward  the  muster,  'gainst  the  wrong. 

At  what  befell  that  gallant  little  band, 
Mem'ry  would  shrink  in  horror  to  relate ; 

How  some  did  fall  by  cruel  savage  hand, 
And  some  had  torturing,  lingering  fate. 


THE   FRATRICIDE.  375 

But  Henry  fled  to  Susquehanna's  isle, 

And  sought  a  covert  in  Monocasy  ; 
And  thought  himself  secure  from  Indian  wile — 

Equally  safe  from  treacherous  Tories'  eye. 

But  hark  !  he  hears  a  crackle  and  a  tread, 
And,  looking  up,  his  Tory  brother  spies ; 

Then  shrinking  back  instinctively  with  dread, 
He  finds  himself  perceived,  and  upward  hies. 

"  Oh,  it  is  you  I"  the  haughty  brother  said ; 

"You  are  a  d — d  rebel,  and  not  fit  for  life  !" 
Then  raising  up  his  gun,  the  fatal  bullet  sped, 

Making  children  orphans,  a  widow  of  his  wife. 

John  Pencil  wander'd  outcast  and  alone  ; 

The  Indians  shunn'd  him — were  themselves  afraid — 
The  awful  deed  soften'd  their  hearts  of  stone, 

They  thought  his  company  a  curse  was  made. 

He  tried  to  flee ;  Conscience  always  pursued, 
And  found  him  ev'ry  where — asleep,  awake  ; 

His  brother's  blood  was  in  his  soul  imbued, 
Himself  a  fiend,  and  it  a  burning  lake. 

The  hungry,  ravenous  wolves  pursued  him  twice  ; 

As  many  times  the  Indian  saved  his  life ; 
They  thought,  "Great  Spirit  angry"  at  his  vice, 

And  would  not  save  again :  they  came  on  thrice, 

And,  seizing  him,  his  limbs  from  limb  they  tore, 
And  cracked  his  living  bones  with  bloody  jaw, 

And  quench'd  their  thirst  upon  his  spouting  gore, 
And  yet  alive,  his  flesh  they  tear  and  gnaw. 

Some  scatter'd  bones,  uncover'd  in  the  wood, 
Now  mark  the  spot  where  died  the  fratricide ; 

"Where  he  by  living  inches  served  for  food, 
Because  by  him  his  brother  Henry  died. 

Oh,  justice  !  Retribution,  it  is  right 
That  thou  shouldst  fix  upon  the  soul  thy  doom, 

And  on  the  body  exercise  thy  might, 

And  stigmatize  the  name  beyond  the  tomb. 


376  WYOMING. 


XIX. 

THE  MOMUMENT. 

COLONEL  BUTLER  returned  to  the  Valley  in  August, 
but  no  attempt  was  made  to  gather  up  the  remains  of 
those  who  fell  upon  the  battle-field  until  October.  On 
the  21st  of  October  he  issued  an  order  "  that  there  be 
a  party,  consisting  of  a  lieutenant,  two  sergeants,  two 
corporals,  and  twenty -five  men,  to  parade  to-morrow 
morning,  with  arms,  as  a  guard  to  those  who  will  go 
to  bury  the  remains  of  the  men  who  were  killed  at  the 
late  battle  at  and  near  the  place  called  Wintermoot's 
Fort."  On  the  day  the  settlers,  who  had  returned  to 
the  Yalley,  assembled  and  proceeded,  protected  by  the 
military  escort  provided  by  Colonel  Butler,  to  perform 
the  melancholy  duty  of  interring  what  remained  of 
their  comrades,  relations,  and  neighbors  in  as  decent  a 
manner  as  possible.  The  late  General  William  Eoss, 
who  was  present,  informed  Professor  Silliman,  when 
he  was  in  the  Valley  in  1829,  that,  "owing  to  the  in 
tense  heat  of  the  weather,  and  probably  the  dryness  of 
the  air,  the  bodies  were  shriveled,  dried,  and  inoffens 
ive,  but,  with  a  single  exception,  their  features  could 
not  be  recognized." 

The  bodies  were  taken  up  with  pitchforks  and  car 
ried  upon  a  cart  to  the  place  of  sepulture,  where  they 
were  buried  in  a  common  grave. 

Strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  grave  of  the  patriots 
who  fell  in  the  fatal  "  Indian  battle"  was  for  years 
wholly  lost.  It  was  known  to  be  located  not  far  from 
the  main  road,  in  a  field  belonging  to  Fisher  Gay, 


THE   MONUMENT.  377 

Esq.  This  field  had  long  been  cultivated,  the  plow 
and  the  scythe  alternately  passing  over  the  remains 
of  the  relatives  and  friends  of  nearly  every  leading 
family  in  the  Valley,  and  yet  there  was  none  to  rise  up 
and  claim  for  Wyoming's  heroes  the  respect  accorded 
in  all  civilized  countries  to  the  ashes  of  the  common 
dead.  Public  sentiment  was  finally  directed  to  the 
subject,  and  there  was  an  awakening  of  the  feelings 
of  virtuous  shame  for  a  delinquency  so  strange  and 
unnatural.  A  suitable  monument  over  the  bones  of 
the  patriot  band  finally  came  to  be  talked  of  as  a  mat 
ter  of  decency,  to  say  nothing  of  the  gratitude  to  which 
their  memory  was  entitled.  So  early  as  1809,  Hon. 
Charles  Miner  published  several  essays  upon  the  sub 
ject  in  a  Wilkesbarre  paper,  but  it  was  not  until  1832 
that  any  thing  like  a  decided  movement  was  made  to 
carry  out  the  project. 

Several  leading  citizens  of  the  Valley  becoming 
deeply  interested  in  the  question  of  the  proposed  mon 
ument,  the  first  thing  which  it  was  thought  necessary 
to  settle  was  the  precise  spot  where  the  bones  of  the 
patriots  lay.  The  ground  was  originally  owned  by 
"the  widow  Lee,"  and  she  subsequently  married 
Philip  Jackson,  long  after  her  death  a  resident  at  Forty 
Fort.  Jackson  remembered  the  mound  which  indi 
cated  the  place  of  interment,  and  was  employed  to 
identify  it.  But  little  effort  was  necessary  to  effect  the 
object.  The  common  grave,  where  were  mingled  to 
gether  the  bones  of  brothers  and  neighbors,  officers 
and  common  soldiers,  in  close  contact,  was  opened  in 
the  presence  of  several  of  the  citizens  residing  in  the 
vicinity. 

Some  of  the  most  interesting  specimens  of  the  re 
mains  were  deposited  in  a  box,  and  were  kept  for  the 


378  WYOMING. 

examination  of  curious  visitors,  until  most  of  them 
finally  disappeared.  We  saw  them  before  any  of  them 
had  been  conveyed  by  sacrilegious  hands  to  parts  un 
known.  The  skulls  exhibited  the  marks  of  the  toma 
hawk  and  scalping-knife.  Some  of  them  had  been 
broken  in  with  the  head  or  spike  of  the  tomahawk, 
and  others  chipped  with  the  edge  by  a  glancing  stroke. 
One  had  been  broken  in  with  the  rim  of  the  pipe  of 
a  smoking-tomahawk.  We  can  imagine  with  what 
gusto  the  murderous  wretch  tasted  the  fumes  of  "the 
weed"  taken  in  from  the  bowl  of  his  favorite  smoking- 
hatchet  while  it  was  yet  stained  with  the  blood  of  his 
victim.  One  skull  was  perforated  by  a  bullet,  and  a 
thigh-bone  had  a  bullet  hole  in  the  centre,  which  was 
made  without  effecting  a  lateral  fracture,  leaving  the 
bone  entirely  sound  with  the  exception  of  the  smooth 
perforation. 

What  awful  associations  did  these  memorials  of  the 
fatal  3d  of  July,  1778,  bring  up !  The  bones  are  with 
out  sense  or  motion,  but  once  they  were  the  framework 
of  bodies  like  our  own — bodies  which  were  inhabited 
by  intelligent  immortal  spirits.  They  were  deprived 
of  their  conscious  reasoning  tenant  in  a  moment,  or  by 
slow,  lingering  agonies.  The  separation  was  violent, 
but,  when  consummated,  the  shouts  of  the  victors  and 
the  clangor  of  the  battle,  which  echoed  from  mountain- 
top  to  mountain-top,  no  more  shocked  the  ear  nor 
quickened  the  pulsations  of  the  slain.  They  sleep  in 
death  until  the  morning  of  the  resurrection. 

These  sacred  relics  were  now  objects  of  universal 
curiosity  and  no  ordinary  veneration,  and  increased 
the  tendency  of  the  public  mind  in  the  direction  of 
the  monument  which  had  been  commenced.  The 
tune  for  action  had -come,  and  "  a  meeting  of  a  number 


THE  MONUMENT.  379 

of  the  early  settlers  of  Wyoming  Valley,  who  had  rel 
atives  and  acquaintances  in  the  Wyoming  massacre, 
and  other  citizens  of  Luzerne  County,  convened  at  the 
house  of  Major  0.  Helme,  in  Kingston,  on  the  16th 
day  of  June,  1832,  to  take  into  consideration  the  sub 
ject  of  erecting  a  monument  to  the  memory  of  those 
who  fell  in  that  disastrous  conflict.  General  William 
Eoss  was  appointed  chairman,  and  Charles  D.  Shoe 
maker  secretary."  After  the  object  of  the  meeting 
had  been  stated  by  the  chair,  the  following  persons 
were  appointed  a  committee  to  draft  resolutions :  John 
Carey,  Colonel  Benjamin  Dorrance,  Eev.  Benjamin 
Bidlack,  Colonel  George  P.  Ransom,  Calvin  Wadhams, 
John  Gore,  Sen.,  Anderson  Dana,  Sen.,  Joseph  Wright, 
and  Benjamin  Reynolds. 

The  resolutions  proposed  and  passed  expressed  the 
deep  sympathy  of  the  meeting  with  the  movement, 
and  prescribed  preparatory  measures  for  the  accom 
plishment  of  its  object.  One  resolution  was,  "  That 
we  request  the  citizens  of  the  Valley  to  meet  at  the 
house  of  F.  Gray,  in  Kingston,  on  the  3d  day  of  July 
next,  at  ten  o'clock,  for  the  purpose  of  adopting  such 
measures  as  may  be  thought  necessary  to  insure  the 
erection  of  a  monument."  It  was  also  "Resolved, 
That  we  invite  our  fellow-citizens  to  unite  with  us  in 
paying  a  tribute  of  respect  to  the  remains  of  those  pat 
riots  on  that  day,  it  being  the  anniversary  of  the  day 
of  their  massacre,  by  visiting  the  spot  where  rest  their 
ashes." 

A  committee  was  then  appointed  to  negotiate  for 
the  purchase  of  "  half  an  acre  of  ground,  including  the 
burial-place  of  those  who  fell  in  the  battle  of  Wyo 
ming."  The  committee  was  composed  of  Benjamin 
Dorrance,  Calvin  Wadhams,  Anderson  Dana,  David 
Scott,  and  George  M.  Hollenback. 


380  WYOMING. 

"A  committee  of  superintendence"  was  then  ap 
pointed  "to  arrange  the  order  of  the  day,  and  that 
they  be  requested  to  procure  a  suitable  person  to  de 
liver  an  address  on  that  day."  The  committee  was  as 
follows :  John  Carey,  George  P.  Kansom,  Sharp  D.  Lew 
is,  Pierce  Butler,  Charles  D.  Shoemaker,  Fisher  Gay, 
Elisha  Harding,  Sen.,  Ebenezer  Slocum,  Samuel  Wad- 
hams,  Joseph  Jameson,  Edward  Inman,  Benjamin  A. 
Bidlack,  Joseph  Slocum,  William  Swetland,  Harris 
Jenkins,  William  C.  Eeynolds,  William  S.  Eoss,  Charles 
Dorrance,  Jonah  Eogers,  Francis  Dana,  Hiram  Deni- 
son,  Jonathan  Stephens,  Asa  Stephens,  John  Bennet, 
Dr.  John  Smith,  Isaac  Harding,  John  Gore,  Jr.,  Henry 
Pettibone,  Daniel  Eoss,  Avery  Gore,  and  Jeremiah 
Gore. 

The  committee  immediately  arranged  the  following 
programme  for  the  proposed  meeting : 

"  The  procession  will  be  formed  at  twelve  o'clock, 
in  the  following  order : 

"  Those  who  may  be  present  who  were  in  the  battle. 

"  The  soldiers  of  the  Eevolution. 

"  The  connections  and  descendants  of  those  who  fell 
in  the  battle. 

"  The  orator  of  the  day  and  the  committee  of  super 
intendence. 

"  The  early  settlers  who  were  not  in  the  battle. 

"  The  citizens. 

"  The  procession  will  march  in  silence,  or  with  suit 
able  music,  to  the  place  where  those  who  were  massa 
cred  were  interred." 

The  meeting  was  one  of  great  public  interest,  and, 
as  might  be  expected,  a  vast  concourse  of  people  at 
tended.  Eev.  James  May,  now  Eev.  Dr.  May,  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  was  the  orator.  Associ- 


THE   MONUMENT.  381 

ated  with  him  in  the  services  were  Eev.  Nicholas  Mur 
ray,  now  Eev.  Dr.  Murray,  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
and  Eev.  Charles  ISTash,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  then  all  pastors  in  the  borough  of  Wilkesbarre. 
The  oration  of  Mr.  May  and  the  remarks  of  Mr.  Mur 
ray  were  published  in  the  papers,  and  are  now  before 
us. 

Mr.  May's  address  consists  of  a  brief  sketch  of  the 
objects  of  the  meeting,  the  battle,  and  the  consequences 
which  followed.  Toward  its  close  we  have  the  fol 
lowing  beautiful  paragraphs : 

"  When  upward  of  fifty  years  have  gone,  we  are  in 
quiet  possession  of  this  valley.  The  sun  in  his  daily 
journey  looks  upon  few  spots  on  which  the  Creator 
has  combined  more  of  the  materials  necessary  for 
earthly  happiness.  No  object  of  price  in  general  can 
be  gained  without  painstaking  and  sacrifice.  The  in 
dependence  of  our  common  country  was  not  secured 
without  a  long  and  toilsome  struggle.  This  valley,  so 
rich  in  soil,  so  lovely  in  scenery,  could  not  be  pos 
sessed  securely  till  the  sacrifice  was  made,  and  that,  too, 
of  blood.  The  hands  that  more  than  half  a  century 
ago  first  struck  the  axe  into  the  forests  that  had  for 
ages  shadowed  these  plains,  lie  mingled  with  the  dust. 
The  troubles  of  those  times,  when  the  Indians  de 
scended  upon  this  valley,  were  borne  by  heads  that 
are  pillowed  beneath  the  soil.  See,  fellow-citizens,  the 
sacrifice  which  was  made  by  the  first  civilized  tenants 
of  this  valley.  The  grave  containing  their  bones  is 
uncovered  before  you.  You  see  for  yourselves  the 
marks  of  the  tomahawk  and  scalping-knife  on  the 
heads  which  are  here  uncovered,  after  having  rested 
for  more  than  fifty  years.  Peace  be  in  this  grave — 
sacred  be  the  memory  of  them  that  sleep  here. 


382  WYOMING. 

"A  few  who  were  themselves  sharers  in  the  toils 
and  difficulties  of  those  times  yet  survive,  and  are  here 
this  day  to  bear  witness  for  us.  Venerable  citizens, 
we  respect  you  for  your  years  ;  we  honor  you  for  the 
part  you  bore  in  the  doings  and  sufferings  of  those 
days;  we  love  and  cherish  the  principles  of  liberty 
which  animated  you  ;  we  owe  you  a  debt  of  gratitude 
for  the  happy  inheritance  which  you  did  your  part  to 
preserve  unimpaired  for  your  children.  You  have 
passed  within  the  lines  of  the  second  half  century  since 
you  opened  a  grave  here  for  your  brothers  whom  the 
Indians  slaughtered  on  these  plains.  This  valley, 
which  you  saw  as  it  was  when  but  a  frontier,  you  sur 
vive  to  see  in  the  midst  of  a  population  of  many  hund 
reds  of  thousands  overspreading  the  country  beyond 
you.  But  on  this  day,  and  where  you  now  are,  you 
can  not  but  think  of  what  you  once  saw  in  this  place. 
We  would  stand  aside  while  you  look  into  this  grave, 
and  see  the  bones  of  your  brothers,  which  fifty  years 
ago  you  assisted  in  sadly  laying  here.  We  would  not 
intrude  while,  as  you  stand  beside  these  bones,  you 
think  how  you  stood  beside  your  friends  when  they 
lived.  For  your  sakes  we  are  glad,  that  this  day  has 
come.  We  rejoice  to  think  that  you  may  see  yet  a 
stone  raised  here,  on  which  the  names  of  those  you 
laid  in  this  spot  shall  be  engraven." 

Mr.  Murray  made  a  few  characteristic  and  happy 
remarks,  among  which  were  the  following : 

"  You  see  these  bleached  heads  and  bending  forms 
around  me.  These  worthies  have  come  down  to  us 
from  the  last  century,  and  are  the  companions  of  the 
heroes  to  whose  manly  frames  these  mouldering  bones 
belonged.  Could  the  breath  of  life  be  breathed  into 
these  bones — could  they  rise  in  the  possession  of  living 


THE   MONUMENT.  383 

energy,  they  would  find,  even  among  this  small  rem 
nant,  a  few  brothers  and  sons.  As  the  gentleman  on 
my  right  was  narrating  the  incidents  of  the  horrible 
massacre,  I  saw  the  tear  stealing  down  the  furrowed 
cheeks  of  these  fathers  of  our  community.  That  tear 
told  me  that  they  felt — that  they  deeply  felt ;  and 
methinks  that  there  is  not  a  heart  in  this  vast  con 
course  that  does  not  sympathize  with  them.  They  de 
sire  that  a  monument  should  be  erected  over  the  com 
mon  grave  of  their  fathers,  and  brothers,  and  compan 
ions.  And  do  you  not  sympathize  with  them?  I 
know  you  do.  I  feel  persuaded  that  you  are  anxious 
to  place  a  liberal  subscription  on  this  paper  before  you 
retire  from  this  place.  You  court  the  honor  of  con 
tributing  to  the  erection  of  the  Wyoming  Monument. 
My  great  fear  is  that  we  shall  not  all  have  the  privi 
lege  of  giving.  I  would  therefore  caution  the  rich 
not  to  indulge  their  patriotic  feelings  too  freely,  lest 
the  poor  should  be  debarred.  We  all  want  to  have 
our  stone  in  the  Wyoming  Monument." 

Our  friend  Murray's  fears  of  being  overwhelmed  with 
a  deluge  of  money  turned  out  not  to  have  been  very 
well  founded,  for  the  subscription  was  so  inadequate 
that  the  enterprise  rested  for  seven  years.  In  1839, 
an  able  committee  was  sent  to  Hartford  to  solicit  aid 
from  the  Legislature  of  Connecticut.  The  claims  of 
the  original  settlers  of  Wyoming  upon  Connecticut 
were  ably  advocated,  and  a  report  was  presented  which 
proposed  a  grant  of  three  thousand  dollars  to  aid  in 
the  erection  of  the  proposed  monument,  but  was  not 
acted  upon.  In  1841,  another  petition  and  another 
deputation  were  sent  on,  and  for  a  time  the  thing 
seemed  likely  to  succeed.  The  Lower  House  voted 
the  appropriation  by  a  large  majority,  but  the  Senate 
did  not  concur. 


384: 


WYOMING, 


Having  failed  in  their  efforts  to  procure  foreign  aid, 
like  the  wagoner  in  the  fable  who  prayed  to  Hercules 
for  help,  the  people  of  Wyoming  resorted  to  the  bet 
ter  plan  of  putting  their  shoulder  to  the  wheel.  This 
time  the  ladies  took  the  matter  in  hand,  and  it  was 
bound  to  go.  They  formed  what  was  denominated 
"  The  Luzerne  Monumental  Association."  The  names 
of  the  officers  and  committee  were  as  follows :  Mrs. 
Chester  Butler,  President;  Mrs.  G.  M.  Hollenback  and 
Mrs.  E.  Carey,  Vice-presidents  ;  Mrs.  Butler,  Mrs.  Nich 
olson,  Mrs.  Hollenback,  Mrs.  Lewis,  Mrs.  Eoss,  Mrs. 
Cunningham,  Mrs.  Beaumont,  Mrs.  Drake,  Mrs.  Ben- 
net,  Mrs.  Carey,  Executive  Committee  ;  Miss  Emily  Cist, 
Treasurer  ;  Miss  Gertrude  Butler,  Secretary ;  Mrs.  Don- 
ley,  Mrs.  L.  Butler,  Corre 
sponding  Committee. 

The  ladies  solicited  do 
nations,  held  fairs,  and,  by 
dint  of  zeal  and  persever 
ance,  succeeded  in  raising 
the  funds  for  the  erection 
ol  a  monument  at  once  of 
the  patriotic  deeds  of  their 
fathers  and  of  their  own 
power.  The  monument  is 
constructed  of  granite,  and 
is  sixty-two  and  a  half  feet 
in  height.  On  three  mar 
ble  slabs  are  engraved  the 
following  inscriptions. 

On  the  front  slab,  composed  by  Edward  Mallory, 
Esq.,  is  the  following : 

Near  this  spot  was  fought,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  8<1  of  July,  1778, 
the  Battle  of  Wyoming,  in  which  a  small  band  of  patriotic  Ameri- 


THE   MONUMENT.  385 

cans,  chiefly  the  undisciplined,  the  youthful,  and  the  aged,  spared  by 
inefficiency  from  the  distant  ranks  of  the  Republic,  led  by  Colonel 
Zebulon  Butler  and  Colonel  Nathan  Denison,  with  a  courage  that 
deserved  success,  boldly  met  and  bravely  fought  a  combined  Brit 
ish,  Tory,  and  Indian  force  of  thrice  their  number.  Numerical  su 
periority  alone  gave  success  to  the  invader,  and  widespread  havoc, 
desolation,  and  ruin  marked  his  savage  and  bloody  footsteps  through 
the  Valley. 

This  monument,  commemorative  of  these  events,  and  in  memory 
of  the  actors  in  them,  has  been  erected  over  the  bones  of  the  slain  by 
their  descendants  and  others,  who  gratefully  appreciate  the  services 
and  sacrifices  of  their  patriotic  ancestors. 

On  the  other  slabs  the  following : 

Dulce  et  decorum  est  pro  patria  mori. 

Slain  in  the  battle :  Field-officers :  Lieutenant  Colonel  George 
Dorrance,  Major  John  Garret.  Captains :  James  Bidlack,  Jun., 
Aholiab  Buck,  Robert  Durkee,  Rezin  Geer,  Joseph  Whittlesey,  De- 
thic  Hewit,  William  M'Karaghan,  Samuel  Ransom,  Lazarus  Stew- 
sirt,  James  Wigton.  Lieutenants :  A.  Atherton,  Stoddart  Bowen, 
Aaron  Gay  lord,  Timothy  Pierce,  Perrin  Ross,  Elijah  Shoemaker, 
Lazarus  Stewart,  Jun.,  Asa  Stevens,  Flavius  Waterman,  James 
Wells.  Ensigns :  Jeremiah  Bigford,  Asa  Gore,  Silas  Gore,  Titus 
Hinman,  John  Otis,  William  White.  Privates :  Jabez  Atherton, 

Christopher  Avery, Acke,  A.  Benedict,  Jabez  Beers,  Samuel 

Bigford,  Elias  Bixby,  David  Bixby,  John  Boyd,  John  Brown,  Thom 
as  Brown,  William  Buck,  James  Budd,  Amos  Bullock,  Henry 
Buck,  John  Caldwell,  Isaac  Campbell,  Josiah  Cameron,  Joseph  Ca 
rey,  Joel  Church,  James  Coffrin,  William  Coffrin,  Samuel  Cole, 
Robert  Comstock,  [three]  brothers  Cook,  Christopher  Cortright,  John 
Cortright,  Anson  Coray,  Rufus  Coray,  Jenks  Coray,  Samuel  Crock 
er,  Joseph  Crocker,  Jabez  Darling,  D.  Denton,  Conrad  Devenport, 
Anderson  Dana,  James  Divine,  George  Downing,  Levi  Dunn,  Will 
iam  Dunn,  Ducher,  Benjamin  Finch,  John  Finch,  Daniel 

Finch,  Elisha  Fitch,  Cornelius  Fitchett,  Eliphalet  Follett,  Thomas 
Faxen,  John  Franklin,  Thomas  Fuller,  Stephen  Fuller, Gard 
ner,  George  Gore, Green,  Samuel  Hutchinson,  William  Ham 
mond,  Silas  Harvey,  Benjamin  Hatch,  Cyprian  Hebard,  Levi  Hicks, 
James  Hopkins,  Nathaniel  Howard,  John  Hutchins,  Israel  Inman, 
Elijah  Inman,  Joseph  Jennings,  Samuel  Jackson,  Robert  Jameson, 

Henry  Johnson,  Lester,  Joshua   Landon,  Daniel   Lawrence, 

William  Lawrence,  Francis  Ledyard,  James  Lock,  Conrad  Lowe, 

E 


386  WYOMING. 

Jacob  Lowe,  Nicholas  Manvill,  Job  Marshall,  New  Matthewson,  C. 
M'Cartee,  A.  Meeleman,  Robert  M'Intire,  Andrew  Millard,  John 
Murphy,  Joseph  Ogden,  John  Pierce,  Abel  Palmer,  Silas  Parke, 
William  Packer,  Henry  Pencil,  Noah  Pettibone,  Jun.,  Jeremiah 
Ross,  Reynolds,  Elisha  Richards,  Elias  Roberts,  Enos  Rock- 
way,  Timothy  Ross,  James  Shaw,  Constant  Searle,  Abel  Seeley, 
Joseph  Shaw,  Abraham  Shaw,  Darlxis  Spafford,  Levi  Spencer,  Jo- 
siah  Spencer,  Eleazar  Sprague,  Aaron  Stark,  Daniel  Stark,  Joseph 
Staples,  Rufus  Stevens,  James  Stevenson,  Naler  Sweed,  Ichabod 
Tuttle,  John  Van  Wee,  Abraham  Vangorder,  Elisha  Waters,  Barthol 
omew  Weeks,  Jonathan  Weeks,  Philip  Weeks,  Peter  Wheeler,  Ste 
phen  Whiton,  Esen  Wilcox,  John  Williams,  Elihu  Williams,  Jun., 
Rufus  Williams,  Azibah  Williams,  John  Ward,  John  Wilson,  Parker 
Wilson, Wade,  William  Woodringer,  Ozias  Yale. 

The  plan  of  the  monument  has  not,  as  yet,  been 
fully  carried  out.  It  has  around  it  no  railing  of  any 
sort.  The  ground  is  not  ornamented  by  trees,  shrubs, 
and  flowers.  The  spot  looks  neglected  ;  and  we  are 
free  to  confess,  mortifying  as  it  is  for  us  to  .say  so,  that 
the  Wyoming  Monument — a  thing  that  should  be  the 
pride  of  the  Valley — is  indicative  of  too  great  a  want 
of  public  spirit  in  our  citizens.  Where  are  the  ladies 
of  Wyoming  ?  Since  the  monument  has  been  brought 
to  its  present  state,  the  daughters  of  those  who  did  the 
work  have  come  upon  the  stage.  Let  them  arise  in 
their  might,  and  finish  the  work  so  well  begun  by  their 
noble  mothers.  Let  the  present  generation  of  Wyo 
ming  ladies  prove  by  their  works  that  they  are  not 
inferior  to  the  preceding  generation  in  patriotism,  en 
ergy,  taste,  and  public  spirit.  A  thousand  dollars  could 
be  well  laid  out  upon  the  monument  and  grounds,  and 
ought  to  be  forthcoming.  Half  that  sum  would  re 
deem  this  noble  monument  of  patriotism  rarely  met 
with  on  the  pages  of  the  world's  history  from  the  dis 
grace  which  seems  to  rest  upon  it.  Happy  indeed  we 
are  that  the  Wyoming  Monument  is  a  fact,  but  much 


THE   MONUMENT.  387 

more  happy  should  we  be  to  see  the  original  design, 
so  well  conceived,  fully  completed,  that  visitors  from 
all  quarters  of  the  globe  might  be  struck  with  admi 
ration  not  only  of  the  bravery  of  the  patriots  who  fell 
in  the  battle,  but  also  of  the  pious  gratitude,  the  lib 
erality,  the  love  of  art,  and  the  elevated  taste  of  their 
descendants.  "  The  Monument"  should  be  the  most 
beautiful  and  inviting  spot  in  the  Valley.  It  should 
be  surrounded  with  an  iron  railing,  and  the  plot  of 
ground  around  it  should  be  ornamented  with  the 
choicest  shrubbery  and  flowers.  The  genius  of  pat 
riotism  and  of  art  should  preside  there.  It  should  be 
a  place  where  one  would  love,  in  solitude,  to  spend 
the  twilight  of  evening  in  holy  meditations,  and  in 
reminiscences  of  the  olden  time.  While  it  points  back 
to  a  stern,  bloody  period  in  our  history,  it  should  in 
dicate  the  fact  of  progress,  and  prophesy  a  glorious 
future. 


388  WYOMING. 


XX. 

COLONEL  JOHN  JENKINS. 

THE  sketches  of  the  historic  life  of  Wyoming  would 
be  incomplete  without  Colonel  Franklin  or  Colonel 
Jenkins.  They  were  the  representatives  of  one  of  the 
two  classes  of  opinions  which  divided  the  people  of 
Wyoming  at  an  important  period  of  its  history.  The 
reader  will  already  have  been  made  acquainted  with 
the  fact  that,  subsequent  to  the  decree  of  Trenton,  the 
people  of  Wyoming  were  divided  into  two  factions : 
one  was  for  yielding  to  the  jurisdiction  of  Pennsyl 
vania,  and  the  other  was  for  resistance.  A  series  of 
irritating  causes  on  both  sides  served  to  embitter  feel 
ings  and  provoke  violent  hostility.  Colonel  Hollen- 
back  may  be  considered  as  representing  the  Pennsyl 
vania  side  of  this  great  question,  and  Colonel  Jenkins 
that  of  Connecticut.  The  former — after  the  question 
of  the*  right  of  jurisdiction  had  been  legally  settled, 
saying  nothing  about  the  justice  of  the  decision — was 
for  giving  up  the  struggle  ;  while  the  latter,  believing 
the  decision  unjust  to  the  State  of  Connecticut,  and  es 
pecially  to  the  Connecticut  settlers,  and  also  that  Penn 
sylvania  had  acted  in  bad  faith,  was  for  defending 
what  he  considered  the  right  to  the  last.  The  two 
men  are  historical  characters,  and  each  deserves  an  im 
partial  representation  in  these  pages.  The  feud  and 
the  embittered  feelings  which  the  struggle  engendered 
have  long  since  passed  away,  and  the  time  has  come  for 
the  historian  to  review  the  whole  scene  with  calmness 
and  impartial  justice. 


COLONEL  JOHN  JENKINS.  389 

The  materials  for  the  following  sketch  have  been 
derived  partly  from  the  contributions  of  Hon.  Steuben 
Jenkins  and  John  K.  Jenkins,  Esq.,  grandsons  of  Col 
onel  Jenkins  ;  partly  from  the  papers  of  Colonel  Pick 
ering,  copies  of  which  have  been  kindly  furnished  us 
by  Mr.  Hollenback ;  and  partly  from  Mr.  Miner's  his 
tory.  The  portion  derived  from  Mr.  Miner  we  have 
faithfully  quoted. 

John  Jenkins,  the  elder,  was  a  lineal  descendant  of 
Judge  Jenkins,  who  was  imprisoned  by  the  Long  Par 
liament,  was  born  in  Wales,  whence  he  migrated  to 
this  country  about  the  year.  1735,  landing  at  Boston ; 
but,  being  one  of  that  "  persecuted"  sect  called  Quakers, 
he  was  driven  out,  with  others,  and  passed  over  into 
Providence,  Khode  Island,  and  thence  into  Windham 
County,  Connecticut,  where  he  became  engaged  in  the 
Susquehanna  Purchase  in  1754,  and  in  1762  he  and 
one  hundred  and  eighteen  others  removed  to  Wyo 
ming  to  possess  themselves  of  the  Purchase.  In  Oc 
tober,  1763,  they  were  driven  off  by  the  Indians,  and  re 
turned  again  to  Connecticut,  where  they  remained  un 
til  the  spring  of  1769,  at  which  time  they  again,  with 
about  three  hundred  others,  removed  to  Wyoming, 
and  took  possession  of  their  lands. 

John  Jenkins  took  possession  of  and  held  all  the 
lands  from  the  township  line  of  Kingston  and  Exeter 
to  the  head  of  Wyoming  Valley,  between  the  river  and 
the  foot  of  the  mountain.  His  residence  was  fixed  just 
above  the  northwestern  end  of  the  Pittston  Ferry 
Bridge,  where  he,  in  connection  with  others,  built  what 
was  known  as  Jenkins's  Fort.  He  was  driven  thence 
by  the  Indians,  British,  and  Tories  on  the  day  before 
the  memorable  "Wyoming  massacre,"  on  the  2d  day 


390  WYOMING. 

of  July,  1778,  and  fled  into  Orange  County,  New  York, 
where  he  died  in  1785. 

He  was  a  surveyor  and  conveyancer  by  profession ; 
was  elected  one  of  the  members  of  Assembly  for 
Westmoreland  in  the  Connecticut  Assembly  for  its 
session  commencing  in  May,  1774 ;  also  for  May,  1775 ; 
and  the  session  of  May,  1777.  He  had  the  honor  of 
presiding  at  the  town  meeting  on  the  1st  of  August, 
1775,  when  resolutions  in  favor  of  liberty  were  adopt 
ed. — See  Miner's  History,  p.  165. 

His  loss  by  the  depredations  of  the  Indians,  as  stated 
in  the  journal  of  John  Jenkins,  Jr.,  was  £598  Is.  3d 

Colonel  John  Jenkins,  the  younger,  was  born  in 
Windham  County,  Connecticut,  on  the  27th  of  Novem 
ber,  1751,  O.  S.,  and  died  in  Exeter,  Luzerne  County, 
on  the  site  of  Wintermoot  Fort,  where  he  settled  im 
mediately  after  the  close  of  the  Indian  wars  in  the  Val 
ley,  about  1780.  He  was  married  on  the  23d  of  June, 
1778,  in  Wyoming,  to  Bethiah  Harris,  who  was  born 
in  Colchester,  Connecticut,  on  the  14th  of  September, 
1752,  and  died  August  12th,  1842,  aged  about  ninety 
years. 

Previous  to  the  Kevolution,  Mr.  Jenkins,  with  four 
other  men,  were  surveying  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
and  lived  principally  in  cabins  in  the  woods.  On  one 
occasion  five  Indians  came  to  their  camp,  and  appear 
ed  very  friendly.  The  Indians  wanted  some  provis 
ions,  and  said  they  were  going  down  the  creek  hunt 
ing,  and  would  return  in  a  few  days  and  give  them 
venison. 

That  night  those  five  Indians  came  back  and  fired 
upon  them  as  they  lay  asleep,  killing  one  man  and 
wounding  another:  Mr.  Jenkins  jumped  up,  took  his 


COLONEL  JOHN  JENKINS.  391 

compass-staff,  and  commenced  operation  in  the  way  of 
desperate  self-defense.  On  looking  behind  him,  he  saw 
an  Indian  with  his  tomahawk  just  in  the  act  of  strik 
ing  him  in  the  head,  but  with  one  blow  knocked  the 
Indian  into  the  large  fire  that  was  burning  before  the 
cabin  door.  On  turning  around  again,  he  saw  another 
Indian  in  the  act  of  striking  him  over  the  head  with 
his  gun :  he  caught  the  gun  and  wrung  it  from  the 
Indian,  and  drove  him  through  the  fire.  The  Indians 
then  fled,  leaving  their  bloody  tracks  on  the  snow  as 
they  went.  Jenkins  and  his  surviving  comrades  made 
a  litter,  and  carried  the  wounded  man  to  the  settle 
ment,  leaving  the  dead  one  rolled  up  in  his  blanket. 

A  party  of  men  went  in  pursuit  of  the  five  Indians, 
which  were  soon  found  and  delivered  up  as  prisoners. 
They  were  taken  to  Newtown,  Elmira,  where  it  was 
determined  that  Jenkins  should  decide  on  the  mode 
of  punishment.  He  found  that  four  of  the  party  had 
been  induced  to  commit  the  terrible  act  by  an  old 
savage  by  the  name  of  Big  Hand — having  previously 
been  wounded  in  the  hand,  making  it  considerably 
larger  than  the  other.  The  four  young  Indians  caught 
hold  of  Jenkins's  coat  and  begged  for  mercy;  Jenkins 
had  compassion  on  them  and  let  them  go;  but  old 
Big  Hand  had  to  be  punished,  and  his  death-warrant 
prescribed  that  he  should  be  pounded  to  death  with 
pine  knots,  which  was  heartily  done,  most  of  those 
present  taking  an  active  part  in  this  terrible  infliction 
of  capital  punishment. 

Mr.  Jenkins  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Indians  in 
November,  1777,  and  returned  to  Wyoming  on  the  2d 
of  June,  1778. 

The  following  is  Mr.  Miner's  account  of  Mr.  Jen 
kins's  captivity  and  release :  "In  November,  1777,  he 


392  WYOMING. 

was  on  a  scouting  party  up  the  river  near  fifty  miles. 
Mr.  York,  father  of  the  Kev.  Miner  York,  was  one  of 
his  companions;  Lemuel  Fitch  was  another.  They 
were  ambushed  not  far  from  Wyalusing  captured  by 
a  party  of  Indians,  and  taken  to  the  British  lines.  An 
Indian  chief  of  some  celebrity  was  a  prisoner  to  the 
Americans  in  Albany,  and  Colonel  John  Butler  sent 
Mr.  Jenkins,  under  an  escort  of  Indians,  to  be  ex 
changed  for  the  chief.  On  the  way  he  suffered  ex 
ceedingly,  and,-had  it  not  been  that  a  young  savage  had 
become  warmly  attached  to  him,  Mr.  Jenkins  thought 
he  should  have  been  massacred,  and  was  almost  sure 
he  should  have  been  starved.  Ardent  and  constant  in 
his  attachments,  as  implacable  and  cruel  in  his  resent 
ments,  the  savage  presents  a  character  in  which  vice 
and  virtue  are  strangely  mingled  and  strangely  con 
trasted.  The  young  Indian,  amid  rum  and  riot,  for 
his  sake  kept  himself  sober  and  calm,  fed  him,  protect 
ed  him ;  and  Mr.  Jenkins  was  prompt,  at  all  times,  to 
do  justice  to  his  faithful  friend,  though,  from  the  cruel 
ties  practiced  here,  the  savages  were  generally  objects 
of  horror  and  detestation. 

"  Arrived  at  Albany,  the  chief  for  whom  he  was  to 
have  been  exchanged  had  just  died  of  small-pox.  The 
Indians  insisted  on  taking  Mr.  Jenkins  back  with  them. 
From  their  conduct  and  character,  he  felt  certain  that 
they  would  take  his  life,  in  revenge  for  that  of  their 
chief,  the  moment  they  were  beyond  reach  of  pursuit. 
He  was  protected,  and  found  his  way  home  to  a  cor 
dial  welcome  from  his  friends." 

On  the  5th  of  June,  1778,  he  commenced  keeping  a 
journal  of  events  transpiring  in  Wyoming  and  at  oth 
er  points  where  he  was  called  in  the  discharge  of  his 
duties.  He  kept  no  journal  during  his  captivity 


COLONEL  JOHN  JENKINS.  393 

among  the  Indians.  He  was  not  married  previous  to 
his  captivity,  but  three  weeks  subsequent  to  his  return. 
He  was  a  surveyor  and  conveyancer  by  profession, 
and  he  followed  this  business  in  early  life,  and  for 
many  years  after  the  Kevolution.  It  is  understood 
that  at  the  time  of  the  massacre  he  was  in  command  at 
Forty  Fort.  Immediately  after  the  massacre,  he,  with 
others,  went  out  to  meet  Spaulding's  company,  which 
they  found  at  the  Lehigh  Kiver.  He  joined  Spaul 
ding's  company  on  the  6th  of  July,  1778,  and  was  in 
vested  with  the  position  of  lieutenant  in  it.  He  con 
tinued  in  active  service  in  this  company  until  the  close 
of  the  campaign  of  1782,  when  he  resigned  his  commis 
sion,  and  returned  home  to  take  part  in  the  defense  of 
the  Wyoming  settlement. 

In  the  winter  of  1778  and  1779,  General  Hand,  in 
command  of  the  forces  at  Minisink,  New  York,  wrote 
to  Colonel  Z.  Butler  at  "Wyoming  for  information  in 
regard  to  the  Indian  settlements  on  the  head  waters 
of  the  Susquehanna  and  in  the  west  of  New  York,  de 
siring  to  know  their  strength  and  position,  and  the  fa 
cilities,  if  any,  for  an  expedition  against  them  by  way 
of  the  Susquehanna  Eiver.  Colonel  Butler  replied, 
giving  the  information  desired,  and  expressed  in  his 
letter  his  obligations  to  Lieutenant  John  Jenkins  for 
the  information  he  had  been  able  to  communicate. 
Soon  after  General  Hand  had  received  the  letter  of 
Colonel  Butler,  he  ordered  Lieutenant  Jenkins  to  ap 
pear  before  General  Washington  at  head-quarters.  In 
pursuance  of  this  order,  he  set  out  on  the  1st  of  April, 
1779,  and  on  the  6th  of  April  waited  on  General 
Washington.  From  the  facts  laid  before  General 
Washington  at  this  interview,  he  planned  and  put 
in  execution  the  expedition  under  General  Sullivan 

R2 


394  WYOMING. 

against  the  Western  Indians.  General  Sullivan  ar 
rived  in  Wyoming  June  22, 1779,  and,  taking  Lieu 
tenant  Jenkins  for  his  chief  guide,  started  with  his  ex 
pedition  up  the  river  on  the  31st  of  July,  1779.  This 
expedition  was  entirely  successful.  The  information 
possessed  by  Lieutenant  Jenkins  in  reference  to  the 
Indians  and  their  country  was  obtained  by  him  dur 
ing  his  captivity  among  them. 

In  her  efforts  to  establish  her  jurisdiction  over  the 
disputed  territory,  Pennsylvania  found  active  and  in 
fluential  opponents  in  Colonel  John  Franklin  and  Col 
onel  John  Jenkins.  Luzerne  County  was  fully  organ 
ized  in  May,  1787,  by  the  agency  of  Colonel  Tim 
othy  Pickering,  who  was  appointed  for  that  purpose 
by  act  of  Assembly.  Colonel  Pickering  was  a  New 
England  man,  but  had  become  a  citizen  of  Philadelphia. 
Having  business  in  the  northern  part  of  Pennsylvania, 
he  passed  through  Wyoming.  Upon  his  return,  he 
was  questioned  with  regard  to  his  impressions  as  to 
the  best  method  of  quieting  matters  in  that  disturbed 
district  of  country.  He  had  conversed  with  many  of 
the  people,  and  freely  imparted  the  information  which 
he  had  received,  and  gave  his  views  of  their  disposi 
tion  to  have  quiet  upon  reasonable  terms.  Presuming 
upon  the  advantages  he  would  have  as  a  New  England 
man,  as  well  as  his  capabilities,  the  appointment  was 
made,  and  he  removed  his  family  to  Wyoming.  He 
was  a  man  of  fine  address,  and  was  a  great  tactician. 
He  soon  raised  a  strong  party  among  the  old  Yankees, 
who  preferred  to  be  "quieted  in  their  possessions" 
under  the  laws  of  Pennsylvania  to  being  in  endless 
strife  and  a  state  of  insufferable  vexation. 

Colonel  Franklin  headed  a  counter  movement. 
While  he  was  organizing  his  forces  and  agitating  the 


COLONEL  JOHN  JENKINS.  395 

public  mind,  he  was  arrested  upon  a  charge  of  treason 
against  the  state,  under  a  warrant  issued  by  Judge 
M'Kean,  by  four  officers  specially  commissioned  for 
the  purpose  in  Philadelphia.  He  was  seized  in  "  the 
old  red  tavern"  in  Wilkesbarre.  Colonel  Pickering 
says,  "  The  four  gentlemen  seized  him.  Two  of  their 
horses  were  in  my  stable,  which  were  sent  to  them ; 
but  soon  my  servant  returned  on  one  of  them,  with  a 
message  from  the  gentlemen  that  people  were  assem 
bling  in  numbers,  and  requesting  me  to  come  with 
what  men  were  near  me  to  prevent  a  rescue.  I  took 
loaded  pistols  in  my  hands,  and  went  with  another  ser 
vant  to  their  aid.  Just  as  I  met  them,  Franklin  threw 
himself  off  from  his  horse  and  renewed  his  struggle 
with  them.  His  hair  was  disheveled  and  face  bloody 
from  preceding  efforts.  I  told  the  gentlemen  they 
would  never  carry  him  off  unless  his  feet  were  tied 
under  his  horse.  I  sent  for  a  cord.  The  gentlemen 
remounted  him,  and  my  servant  tied  his  feet.  Then, 
one  taking  his  bridle  and  another  following  behind, 
and  the  others  riding  one  on  each  side,  they  whipped 
up  their  horses,  and  were  soon  beyond  the  reach  of  his 
friends." 

This  violent  proceeding  aroused  the  indignation  of 
Colonel  Franklin's  partisans,  and  Colonel  Pickering, 
anticipating  retaliatory  measures  upon  himself,  fled  to 
Philadelphia.  After  it  was  presumed  that  the  heat  of 
the  excitement  had  passed,  Colonel  Pickering  returned 
to  his  family  in  Wyoming.  It  was  not  long  before  he 
was  taken  from  his  bed  at  dead  of  night  by  a  party 
of  men,  and  carried  up  the  river  and  secreted  in  the 
woods.  Colonel  Pickering  has  left  a  particular  narra 
tive  of  his  abduction  and  detention,  which  will  be  found 
published  in  Mr.  Miner's  History.  We  have  a  manu7 


396  WYOMING. 

script  copy  of  the  narrative,  together  with  the  whole 
course  of  Colonel  Pickering's  proceedings  under  the 
authority  of  Pennsylvania,  now  before  us.  Colonel 
Pickering's  views"  of  the  whole  question  in  difficulty 
are  herein  lucidly  set  forth. 

In  his  narrative  of  his  peregrinations  through  the 
wilderness,  among  the  mountains  and  ravines  of  the 
north,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Susquehanna,  the 
gallant  colonel  notes  some  instances  of  abuse  and  some 
of  kindness.  He  was  bound  with  fetters  of  iron,  and 
a  chain  attached  to  him,  because  poor  Franklin  was 
lying  in  jail  in  irons.  But  they  roasted  for  him  a 
piece  of  meat  occasionally,  and  once  prepared  him  a 
dish  of  "  coffee,"  made  of  burned  "  Indian  meal."  He 
says  this  "  was  an  agreeable  change  for  our  green  tea." 
The  "  green  tea"  was  made  of  wintergreen.  He  was 
several  times  asked  if  he  would  "  intercede  for  Colonel 
Franklin's  pardon,"  to  which  he  uniformly  answered, 
"No,  I  will  not." 

The  militia  had  been  in  pursuit  of  the  party,  and 
some  skirmishes  occurred,  in  which  men  were  wounded 
on  both  sides,  and  one  of  "the  ruffians"  died  of  his 
wound.  But,  finding  Colonel  Pickering  inflexible,  the 
"  rioters"  sent  him  home  down  the  river  in  a  boat,  and 
he  made  his  appearance  at  his  own  door,  to  the  great 
joy  of  his  family.  After  washing,  shaving,  and  chang 
ing  his  clothes,  the  dignified  functionary  was  himself 
again.  He  had  been  absent  twenty  days. 

Colonel  Pickering  speaks  of  Colonel  Jenkins  in 
terms  of  great  severity,  and  goes  so  far  as  to  charge 
him  with  being  the  contriver  of  his  abduction,  and 
then  meanly  deserting  his  pliant  tools.  "After  en 
couraging  and  engaging  them  in  the  diabolical  outrage 
upon  me,"  says  he,  "  he  had  deserted  them."  This  is 


COLONEL   JOHN  JENKINS.  397 

a  most  uncharitable  and  unwarrantable  view  of  the 
case.  In  the  first  place,  Colonel  Jenkins  had  nothing 
to  do  with  the  abduction,  and,  in  the  next  place,  he 
was  too  honorable  and  brave  a  man  meanly  to  desert 
his  friends.  The  following  may  be  presumed  a  fair 
and  truthful  answer  to  this  unjust  and  cruel  imputa 
tion,  and  is  a  complete  vindication  of  the  character  of 
Colonel  Jenkins.  It  is  from  the  pen  of  Hon.  Steuben 
Jenkins. 

"  There  is  a  circumstance  mentioned  in  Miner's  His 
tory,  p.  423,  upon  which  I  deem  a  few  words  necessa 
ry.  Soon  after  the  appearance  of  Stone's  History  of 
Wyoming,  about  1839,  my  attention  was  called  to  it 
by  seeing  it  in  that  history.  I  asked  my  grandmother 
concerning  the  circumstances  connected  with  the  ab 
duction  of  Pickering,  and  she  gave  me  the  following 
account.  A  meeting  of  the  friends  of  Franklin  had 
been  warned  on  the  night  of  his  abduction,  for  the  pur 
pose  of  taking  into  consideration  some  measures  by 
which  they  might  obtain  his  release.  It  was  thought 
by  all  that  Pickering  had  the  power  to  release  him  at 
any  time  merely  by  writing  to  the  proper  authorities 
for  that  purpose,  and  it  was  therefore  proposed  by 
some  to  make  an  amicable  adjustment  of  the  matters 
in  dispute  with  Pickering ;  by  others  it  was  proposed 
to  take  Pickering,  and  confine  him  as  a  prisoner  until 
he  should  cause  Franklin  to  be  released.  John  Jen 
kins,  who  until  this  time  had  taken  part  with  the  most 
zealous  friends  of  Franklin,  was  opposed  to  this  last 
proposition,  considering  that  it  would  tend  to  exasper 
ate  the  friends  of  Pickering,  and  render  the  confine 
ment  of  Franklin  more  close,  and  would  be  productive 
of  no  real  utility,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  might  result 
in  serious  injury  both  to  Franklin  and  his  cause.  The 


398  WYOMING. 

hot-blooded  carried  the  day,  and  John  Jenkins  refused 
to  have  any  thing  farther  to  do  with  it,  and  so  declared 
himself  at  the  time.  By  those  who  failed  to  enlist 
him  in  their  schemes  he  was  declared  to  be  an  obsti 
nate  man,  and  they  attributed  to  his  position  in  this 
matter  the  defeat  of  their  plans. 

"It  was  one  of  Colonel  Jenkins's  distinguishing 
traits,  that  when  he  once  said  he  would  or  would  not 
do  a  thing,  that  was  the  end  of  it.  To  do  as  he  agreed 
was  worth  every  effort  of  his  nature,  and  he  usually 
gave  it  to  that  end.  During  the  controversy  between 
the  Connecticut  and  Pennsylvania  settlers  he  declared 
that  he  would  never  yield — that  he  would  never  hold 
an  inch  of  land  under  a  Pennsylvania  title.  True  to 
his  word,  he  never  did  own  an  inch  of  land  with  a 
Pennsylvania  title,  and  by  reason  of  not  taking  title 
under  Pennsylvania  he  lost  a  large  amount  of  valua 
ble  property.  He  owned  six  miles  square  of  the  town 
ships  of  Blakely,  Carbondale,  Greenfield,  etc.,  but  re 
fused  to  take  title  for  it  under  Pennsylvania,  and  there 
fore  lost  it  all. 

"In  September,  1786,  he  and  Colonel  John  Frank 
lin,  as  a  committee  of  the  Wyoming  settlers,  went  to 
Philadelphia  to  fight  against  the  Pennsylvania  claim 
ants,  and  against  the  Connecticut  settlers  being  com 
pelled  to  take  out  Pennsylvania  titles,  and  to  ask  for 
some  measures  of  relief.  On  the  llth  of  September 
they  had  a  conference  with  his  excellency  B.  Frank 
lin,  President  of  Council,  laid  their  affairs  before  him, 
and  were  heard  by  him  with  great  attention  and  re 
spect.  While  in  attendance  there  on  council,  to  wit, 
on  the  25th  of  September,  1786,  Luzerne  County  was 
established,  and  that  put  an  end  to  their  mission  by 
effectually  putting  the  territory  under  the  laws  and 


COLONEL  JOHN  JENKINS.  399 

officers  of  Pennsylvania.  But  still  the  fight  with  him 
did  not  end  here. 

"  He  appealed,  and  went  to  Congress,  where  he  was 
in  1801  and  1802,  asking  relief  from  that  source. 
Failing  in  that,  he  returned  to  Wyoming,  and  was,  in 
1803,  elected  one  of  the  members — Franklin  being  the 
other — from  Luzerne  County.  Here  they  renewed 
the  fight,  but,  being  defeated,  they  gave  it  up,  and  con 
cluded  to  let  Pennsylvania  rule,  but  still  hold  to  their 
Connecticut  titles,  which  they  did." 

Colonel  Pickering  seems  to  have  imbibed  a  strong 
prejudice  against  Colonel  Jenkins.  This  was  natural 
enough,  as  they  had  come  into  violent  collision  upon 
a  question  which  Colonel  Pickering  had  greatly  at 
heart.  What  is  a  little  strange,  however,  is  the  fact 
that  his  dislike  increased  in  acrimony  with  the  lapse 
of  time.  The  conflict  raged  from  1787  on,  and  in  1798 
Colonel  Pickering  drew  up  a  statement  of  the  whole 
case,  entitled,  "A  concise  Narration  of  the  Wyoming 
Dispute,"  in  which  he  gives  a  very  fair  view  of  the 
reasonable  expectations  and  just  claims  of  the  Connec 
ticut  settlers.  In  1818,  in  connection  with  a  history 
of  " the  outrage  committed  on  him, "in  a  letter  to  his 
son,  he  reviews  the  matter  of  the  Connecticut  claim, 
and  sets  it  down  as  utterly  baseless,  and  characterizes 
Colonel  Franklin  and  Colonel  Jenkins,  and  those  who 
acted  with  them,  as  "  rioters"  and  "  traitors"  for  resist 
ing  measures  which,  according  to  his  well-considered 
opinions  at  the  time,  were  oppressive  and  inhuman. 

For  a  clear  understanding  of  the  position  of  Colonel 
Jenkins  on  the  question  at  issue — for  this  is  the  point 
we  are  laboring  to  bring  out — we  need  no  informa 
tion  excepting  that  which  Colonel  Pickering  gives  us. 

First.  He  admits  that  it  is  not  "  surprising  that  Con- 


400  WYOMING*. 

necticut  should  claim  that  part  of  Pennsylvania  which 
was  comprehended  in  a  charter  twenty  years  older 
than  Mr.  Penn's,"  and  that,  all  circumstances  consider 
ed,  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania  should  be  disposed 
"  to  view  the  subject  in  dispute  in  the  most  favorable 
light  for  the  unfortunate  settlers." — Concise  Narrative, 

P.  11. 

Secondly.  He  admits  that,  when  he  took  the  appoint 
ment  from  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature,  it  was  with 
the  distinct  understanding  that  the  Connecticut  people 
would  be  quieted  in  their  possessions,  and  their  titles 
under  Connecticut  would  be  confirmed;  and  that,  in 
his  efforts  to  bring  the  people  to  terms,  he  had  assured 
them  that  this  would  be  the  case. —  Concise  Narrative, 
p.  9. 

Thirdly.  Upon  the  presentation  of  a  petition  from 
"near  three  hundred  of  the  Connecticut  claimants, 
praying  for  a  confirmation  of  their  titles,  to  the  Gen 
eral  Assembly,"  the  petition  was  "  substantially"  grant 
ed. — Concise  Narrative,  p.  9,  10. 

Fourthly.  "  Instances  of  bad  faith"  on  the  part  of  the 
General  Assembly  furnished  ground  of  suspicion  "  that 
the  confirming  law  itself  would  be  set  aside  as  soon  as 
they  should  be  effectually  brought  under  the  govern 
ment  of  Pennsylvania.""* — Concise  Narrative,  p.  13,  14. 

*  In  giving  an  account  of  a  public  meeting,  which  he  held  for  the 
purpose  of  explaining  to  the  people  the  disposition  of  the  General 
Assembly  of  Pennsylvania  to  do  them  justice,  Colonel  Pickering 
says,  "But  just  as  I  was  closing  prosperously,  as  I  thought,  my 
month's  labor,  a  pretty  shrewd  man,  John  Jenkins,  a  major  of  their 
militia,  arose  and  said,  '  They  had  too  often  experienced  the  bad 
faith  of  Pennsylvania  to  place  confidence  in  any  new  measures  of  its 
Legislature ;  and  that,  if  they  should  enact  a  quieting  law,  they 
would  repeal  it  as  soon  as  the  Connecticut  settlers  submitted,  and 
were  completely  saddled  with  the  laws  of  the  state.'  This  was 


COLONEL   JOHN  JENKINS.  401 

Fifthly.  "  The  confirming  law"  was  repealed  by  the 
Legislature  in  1788.  "  This,"  says  Colonel  Pickering, 
"always  appeared  to  me  unjust  and  cruel." — Letter, 
p.  36. 

Sixthly.  The  efforts  to  dispossess  the  Connecticut 
settlers  by  law  wholly  failed.  Suits  were  brought 
against  them,  and  "  after  eight  years  they  had  partly 
tried  one  cause."* — Concise  Narrative,  p.  20. 

Seventhly.  What  is  called  the  compromise  law  was 
passed  in  1799,  and  this  closed  all  farther  legal  pro 
ceedings  against  the  Connecticut  settlers.f 

By  the  terms  of  this  law,  "  commissioners  were  to  re- 
survey  lots  claimed  by  the  Connecticut  settlers,  whose 
title — precisely  as  in  the  confirming  law — originated 
before  the  decree  of  Trenton.  A  certificate  was  to  be 
issued  to  the  settler,  on  presenting  which  to  the  land- 
office,  and  paying  the  compensation  fixed,  he  should 
receive  a  patent.":): — Miner's  History,  p.  454. 

prophetic;  but  I  had  then  no  faith  in  the  prophecy." — Letter,  p. 
15,  16. 

*  Colonel  Pickering  says:  "Although  one  suit  was  brought  by  a 
Pennsylvania  claimant  against  an  old  Connecticut  settler,  and  judg 
ment  in  a  court  of  the  United  States  was  given  in  favor  of  the  plain 
tiff,  yet  the  Connecticut  settlers  kept  possession  of  their  farms.  They 
were  too  numerous  to  be  removed  and  driven  as  vagabonds  upon  the 
wide  world.  The  magnitude  of  the  evil  became  more  sensible  [evi 
dent],  and  at  length  the  Legislature  yielded  to  expediency  what  they 
had  denied  to  equity." — Letter,  p.  37. 

f  "They  passed  a  law  to  secure  the  Connecticut  settlers  in  their 
possessions  upon  their  paying  some  small  prices — not  a  twentieth 
part  of  the  intrinsic  value — for  their  lands,  varied  according  to  their 
qualities.  Thus  the  controversy  was  ended,  but  infinitely  to  the  loss 
of  Pennsylvania." — Colonel  Pickering's  Letter,  p.  37. 

f  "Terms  of  the  compromising  law  of  April  4,  1799.  Commis 
sioners  were  to  divide  the  lands  into  four  classes.  Pennsylvania 
claimants  who  preferred  to  release  their  lands  to  the  state,  rather 
than  have  them  appraised  by  a  jury,  were  to  receive,  for  the  first 


402  WYOMING. 

A  portion  of  the  Connecticut  settlers,  as  a  matter  of 
principle,  refused  to  pay  to  Pennsylvania  the  price  for 
their  lands  required  by  the  compromise  law,  and  Colo 
nel  Jenkins  was  one  of  these.  He  considered  it  a 
piece  of  assumption — an  act  of  injustice — and  contin 
ued  to  protest  against  it  to  the  last. 

The  facts  above  presented,  mostly  from  Colonel 
Pickering,  the  Pennsylvania  functionary,  will  present 
the  course  pursued  by  Colonel  Jenkins  in  its  true  light, 
and  will  relieve  his  fair  fame  from  the  disparaging  im 
putations  cast  upon  it  by  the  same  Colonel  Pickering. 
Had  the  latter  gentleman  been  free  from  the  prejudices 
generated  by  opposition  and  disappointment,  he  would 
probably  have  viewed  the  conduct  of  Franklin  and 
Jenkins  with  more  charity.  Both  parties  were  pursu 
ing  what  they  considered  the  line  of  duty.  Their  in 
terests  and  their  opinions  came  into  collision,  and  they 
both  fought  with  courage  and  ability. 

How  strongly  Colonel  Jenkins  adhered  to  his  posi 
tion  will  farther  appear  by  the  following  anecdote. 
When  the  Pennsylvania  commissioners  were  survey 
ing  the  Wyoming  lands,  they  found  that  the  Connecti 
cut  settlers  did  not  like  the  idea  of  having  their  lands 
surveyed  by  the  Pennamites.  It  was  in  the  time  of 
buckwheat  harvest,  and  Colonel  Jenkins  was  drawing 
in  his  buckwheat  with  a  yoke  of  oxen  and  sled,  and  a 
wooden  fork.  The  commissioners  came  up  to  the  line 
on  the  flats,  and  John  Jenkins  commanded  them  to 
stop,  and  not  undertake  to  cross  his  land,  at  their  peril. 
They,  seeing  that  Jenkins  meant  what  he  said,  retired, 

class,  $5  00  an  acre ;  second  class,  $3  00 ;  third  class,  $1  50 ;  fourth 
class,  25  cents.  Connecticut  claimants  were  to  pay,  for  lands  of  the 
first  class,  $2  00;  second,  $1  20;  third,  50  cents;  fourth,  8J  cents." 
— Miner's  History,  p.  454. 


COLONEL  JOHN  JENKINS.  403 

and  returned  to  Wilkesbarre.  Soon  after,  they  took 
Jenkins  with  a  warrant  and  put  him  in  prison.  One 
of  the  witnesses  swore  he  had  an  iron  fork,  but  after 
ward  proved  that  it  was  only  a  forked  stick,  with 
which  he  beat  back  the  corps  of  surveyors.  Colonel 
Jenkins  was  kept  in  jail  until  the  commissioners  com 
pleted  their  survey,  and  while  he  lived  he  lived  under 
Connecticut  laws,  and  would  never  succumb  to  Penn 
sylvania  "  aggression."  He  was  never  conquered,  but 
went  down  to  his  grave  protesting  against  "  Pennsyl 
vania  usurpation." 

A  claimant  of  a  still  different  character  obtruded 
himself  upon  the  attention  of  Colonel  Jenkins,  who  was 
summarily  disposed  of. 

One  of  the  descendants  of  the  Wintermoot  family, 
who  formerly  owned  his  farm,  came  to  see  Jenkins  in 
regard  to  title,  etc.  Wintermoot  was  quite  inquisitive, 
and  asked  a  good  many  questions  about  the  land  and 
title  before  he  made  himself  known.  As  soon  as  he 
said  that  his  name  was  Wintermoot,  Jenkins  raised  a 
chair,  and  threw  at  him  with  such  violence  as  to  break 
it  in  pieces ;  but  Wintermoot  made  good  his  escape. 
Jenkins  told  him  to  leave,  or  he  would  put  him  in 
possession  of  his  land  in  short  time. 

Colonel  Jenkins  died  March  19, 1827,  aged  seventy 
years  and  almost  four  months.  A  large  circle  of  his 
descendants  live  in  Wyoming  and  Exeter.  The  old 
place  at  Wintermoot's  Fort  is  still  in  the  family,  and 
the  antique  residence  is  still  in  a  good  state  of  preser 
vation.  The  glorious  old  spring,  from  which  the  Win- 
termoots,  and  Colonel  John  Butler,  and  his  Tories  and 
Indians,  slaked  their  thirst  on  the  memorable  3d  of 
July,  is  there  yet,  and  there  will  doubtless  remain  till 
time  shall  be  no  more. 


404  \\'YOMTXG. 


OLD   JENKINS   HOUSE. 


Colonel  Jenkins  had  Ms  share  of  the  sufferings  and 
misfortunes  of  Wyoming.  The  great  "ice-flood"  car 
ried  away  his  house  and  furniture,  he  recovering  little 
except  "  bed  and  bedding,"  which  were  found  lodged 
in  the  tops  of  the  trees  below  Toby's  Eddy. 

In  person  Colonel  Jenkins  was  of  medium  height, 
stout,  well-proportioned,  framed  for  strength,  endur 
ance,  and  activity  combined;  extremely  hospitable, 
remarkably  clever,  yet  grave  almost  to  austerity  when 
in  thought.  When  animated  in  conversation,  there 
was  a  pleasing  expression  on  his  countenance.  His 
style  was  brief  and  sententious.  Like  Atreus's  son, 

"He  spoke  no  more  than  just  the  thing  he  ought." 

(See  Miner,  App.,  p.  29.) 


JOUKNAL  OF  CHRISTOPHER  HURLBUT.          405 


XXI. 

ORIGINAL  JOURNAL  OF  CHRISTOPHER  HURLBUT. 

THE  following  brief  record  of  the  events  of  the 
wars  in  Wyoming  was  kindly  furnished  us  by  Samuel 
Hoyt,  Esq.,  of  Kingston,  and  it  is  published,  not  so 
much  for  its  incidents,  as  for  the  confirmation  which 
it  affords  of  the  leading  facts  to  which  reference  has 
been  made  in  the  preceding  pages.  It  is  the  testimo 
ny  of  a  witness  and  an  actor  in  the  scene.  Mr.  Hurl- 
but  was  a  man  for  the  times,  of  more  than  usual  ed 
ucation — a  good  mathematician,  and  a  practical  sur 
veyor.  His  plots  of  large  tracts  of  lands  surveyed  by 
him  in  the  county  of  Luzerne  are  acknowledged  data. 
His  field-books,  plots,  bearings  and  distances,  are  all 
executed  with  great  skill  and  accuracy. 

"  Blood  hath  been  shed,  ere  now,  i'  th'  olden  lime, 
Ere  human  statute  purged  the  gentle  weale : 
Aye,  and  since  too,  murthers  have  been  performed 
Too  terrible  for  the  eare." — SHAKSPEARE — Macbeth. 

11  REMEMBRANCE    OF  WYOMING  WARS. 

"  First,  of  the  Indian  War. — In  the  year  1777,  the 
Indians  and  Tories  up  the  river  went  with  the  British 
army  to  besiege  Fort  Stanwix,  and,  failing  in  their  ob 
ject,  they  returned  home  in  the  fall  of  the  year.  Late 
in  the  fall,  Colonel  Denison  went  up  the  river  with  a 
considerable  body  of  men,  and  took  several  Tories, 
and  wounded  an  Indian  that  attempted  to  run  away 
from  them.  The  same  fall  the  Indians  took  York  and 
Kingsley  prisoners  from  Wyallusing,  and  carried  them 
to  Canada. 


406  WYOMING. 

"  Early  in  the  spring,  Colonel  Denison,  with  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  went  up  to  Wyalusing  to 
assist  a  number  of  families  in  removing  from  the  place. 
I  was  in  the  company.  We  made  rafts  of  old  houses, 
and  took  on  the  people,  with  their  effects,  and  went 
down  the  river.  This  spring  a  company  was  raised 
to  garrison  Forty  Fort  and  to  scout.  Some  time  this 
spring  three  Indians  came  to  Forty  Fort,  doubtless  as 
spies.  They  were  put  in  prison.  The  last  of  June  I 
went  out  to  Lackawaxen  to  meet  my  father's  family, 
who  were  moving  into  the  country,  and  was  there  un 
til  the  result  of  the  battle  was  known. 

"  On  Tuesday,  the  last  day  of  June,  the  Indian  army 
was  discovered.  On  Wednesday  the  settlers  collected 
the  men  and  went  up  to  Sutton's  Mills,  where  they 
found  that  the  people  had  been  killed  and  the  houses 
burned.*  It  appeared  that  the  Indian  army  had  gone 
into  the  woods,  and  proceeded  over  the  mountain  to 
Kingston,  and  by  that  means  the  two  armies  did  not 
meet  there.  On  the  same  day  the  Indian  army  took 
Jenkins's  and  Wintermoot's  Forts,  f  The  alarm  was 
given,  and  the  men  assembled  at  Forty  Fort. 

"The  next  morning — the  3d  of  July — and  toward 
night,  they  joined  battle  with  the  Indians,  and  were 

*  This  was  the  place  where  the  Hardings  were  killed,  and  Gardner 
made  a  prisoner. 

t  According  to  Mr.  Gardner,  Jenkins's  Fort  could  not  have  been 
taken  on  that  day.  He  says  it  was  the  day  after  the  battle  that  the 
fort  in  which  he  was — the  one  opposite  Pittston,  which  was  Fort  Jen 
kins — was  entered  by  the  Indians.  Mr.  Hurlbut  was  not  on  the 
ground,  and  might  be  mistaken.  Mr.  Gardner  was  in  the  fort,  and 
must  know  whether  it  was  surrendered  before  the  battle  or  afterward. 
The  theory  which  we  have  adopted  elsewhere  is,  that  the  agreement 
to  surrender  the  fort  was  entered  into  two  days  before  it  was  actually 
entered  by  the  enemy;  but  this  was  not  on  the  last  day  of  June,  but 
on  the  2d  of  July. 


JOURNAL  OF  CHRISTOPHER  HURLBUT.          407 

entirely  defeated;  only  sixty  escaped  out  of  the  battle. 
The  next  day  was  spent  in  negotiating  a  capitulation, 
and  on  Sabbath  the  fort  was  surrendered,  when  an  in 
discriminate  plunder  took  place,  and  nearly  all  the 
buildings  in  the  settlement  were  burned.  The  people 
escaped,  none  being  killed  excepting  two,  Mrs.  Leech 
and  St.  John. 

"  The  beginning  of  August,  Colonel  Butler,  with 
Spaulding's  company  of  the  Wyoming  soldiers,  and  a 
few  of  the  settlers,  returned  and  took  possession  of  the 
place,  and  built  a  fort  at  Wilkesbarre,  driving  off  what 
few  Indians  were  there.  Shortly  after  the  Indians  kill 
ed  John  Abbott,  and  some  others,  above  Wilkesbarre. 
"In  September,  1778,  Colonel  Hartley  went,  with 
two  or  three  hundred  men,  by  the  West  Branch,  over 
to  Towanda  and  to  Sheshequin,  and  collected  a  con 
siderable  number  of  cattle,  and  drove  them  down  the 
river.  When  he  had  got  below  Black  Walnut  Bottom, 
he  was  fired  upon  by  the  Indians,  and  at  Tuscarora 
Creek  a  considerable  action  took  place :  some  few  were 
killed  on  both  sides.  The  next  day  after  they  arrived 
at  Wilkesbarre,  the  Indians  killed  two  or  three  of  his 
soldiers  at  the  lower  end  of  Kingston  Flats. 

"  In  the  fall  the  Indians  took  Swetland  and  Blanch  - 
ard  at  the  ISTanticoke  mill,  and  burned  the  mill.  Ear 
ly  in  November  the  Indians  killed  Jackson,  Lester, 
and  Franklin,  and  wounded  Hagaman ;  they  took  pris 
oners  Pell  and  Lester's  wife  and  daughter — a  little  girl 
— from  Nanticoke,  in  December.  Tripp,  Slocum,  and 
Kingsley's  son  were  killed  in  Wilkesbarre,  not  far  from 
the  fort,  and  a  little  girl  carried  off  prisoner  in  Febru 
ary,  1779.  Buck,  Williams,  and  Pettibone  were  kill 
ed,  and  Follett  scalped  on  Kingston  Flats,  and  an  In 
dian  was  killed  in  an  attack  on  the  block-house.  On 


408  WYOMING. 

the  20th  of  March  Bidlack  was  taken,  the  block-house 
attacked,  and  all  the  cattle  and  horses  on  that  side  of 
the  river  driven  off  by  a  large  party  of  British,  In 
dians,  and  Tories.  On  the  22d  Wilkesbarre  was  attack 
ed,  as  also  Stewart's  house,  and  all  the  cattle  that  were 
out  on  that  side  driven  off;  and  all  the  remaining 
buildings  on  both  sides  of  the  river  that  were  not 
near  the  fort,  or  Stewart's  house  or  block-house,  were 
burned. 

"  Shortly  after  the  attack  on  Wilkesbarre,  a  consid 
erable  body  of  troops — the  advance  of  General  Sulli 
van's  army — arrived  at  Wilkesbarre,  and  early  in  April 
another  detachment  coming  in,  two  officers  and  five 
soldiers,  that  were  in  advance  of  the  main  body,  were 
killed  at  or  near  Laurel  Eun,  in  the  mountain.  Some 
time  that  summer,  Sherwood,  at  Huntington,  was 
wounded  by  the  Indians  while  hunting,  but  escaped. 

"  Sullivan's  army  penetrated  the  Indian  country  as 
far  as  Genesee  Kiver,  and  in  October  returned  to 
Wilkesbarre,  and  so  back  to  join  the  main  army,  leav 
ing  a  garrison  in  Wilkesbarre. 

"After  Sullivan's  expedition  my  father's  family 
moved  into  the  country,  and  went  on  to  his  farm  in 
Hanover.  The  settlers  were  now  getting  on  to  their 
farms,  in  expectation  of  not  being  farther  troubled  by 
the  Indians. 

"  The  last  of  March,  Hammond,  Bennet,  and  son 
went  to  plow  on  Kingston  Flats,  above  Forty  Fort, 
and  were  taken  by  the  Indians.  Near  the  same  time, 
Upson  was  killed  and  Jonah  Eogers  taken  prisoner 
below  Nanticoke  Falls.  Another  party  of  Indians 
took  Yan  Campen,  Pence,  and  a  boy,  and  killed  sev 
eral  on  Fishing  Creek.  On  Harvey's  Creek  they  took 
Pike,  but  dismissed  his  wife.  The  same  week  Ham- 


JOURNAL  OF  CHRISTOPHER  HURLBUT.          409 

mond  and  Bennet  rose  on  the  Indians,  and  escaped 
and  came  in.  Three  or  four  days  after  Yan  Campen 
and  company  came  in,  having  killed  the  Indians  who 
took  them  prisoners. 

"  After  this  no  Indians  appeared  about  Wyoming 
until  December,  when  twenty  British  soldiers  and  five 
Indians  came  into  Plymouth  in  the  evening,  and  took 
all  the  families  which  were  there  prisoners.  Selecting 
some  men,  that  they  carried  off,  they  dismissed  the 
women  and  children.  The  last  of  March,  1781,  a  num 
ber  of  families  had  begun  to  build  houses,  intending 
also  to  build  a  fort  on  Shawnee  Flats,  where  they 
were  attacked  in  the  night  by  the  Indians.  Eansom 
was  wounded;  one  Indian  was  killed,  and  the  rest 
fled.  In  September  the  Indians  took  Franklin's  boys, 
with  five  horses,  and  burned  all  the  grain — perhaps 
twelve  hundred  bushels  of  wheat  and  rye — on  Nanti- 
coke  Flats. 

"  In  1782  some  men  began  a  saw-mill  in  Hanover. 
They  raised  the  mill  on  Saturday,  in  April.  The  next 
morning  Franklin's  family  were  taken  prisoners,  and 
his  house  burned.  Baldwin,  with  nine  others,  went 
up  the  river  and  got  ahead  of  the  Indians,  and  on  the 
Frenchtown  Mountain  they  had  a  severe  engagement 
of  six  or  seven  hours.  Bennet  was  wounded,  also 
Baldwin  himself,  but  none  were  killed.  They  retook 
three  of  the  family,  the  woman  and  a  small  child  be 
ing  killed.  In  July  Jamison  and  Chapman  were  kill 
ed  in  the  road  in  Hanover,  near  where  the  meeting 
house  was  afterward  built.  Peace  took  place  the  win 
ter  following.  The  next  spring,  in  1783,  Baldwin  and 
Garnsey  were  carried  off  by  the  Indians  from  near 
Black  Walnut  Bottom,  but  no  other  mischief  was  done 
by  the  Indians,  as  they  were  sent  to  take  a  prisoner 

S 


4:10  WYOMING. 

by  whom  they  might  ascertain  whether  peace  was  re 
ally  made,  as  they  had  only  heard  a  rumor  of  it  at 
Niagara.  They  were  dismissed  soon  after  their  arri 
val." 

THE  PENNAMITE  WAR. 

"In  December,  1782,  the  Decree  of  Trenton  was 
passed,  adjudging  the  right  of  jurisdiction  and  pre 
emption  to  Pennsylvania.  The  next  spring  peace 
took  place  between  England  and  the  United  States, 
and  the  garrison  was  removed  from  "Wilkesbarre,  and 
a  company  of  Pennsylvania  state  troops  took  posses 
sion  of  the  fort.  What  pretense  there  was  for  contin 
uing  the  garrison  after  peace,  I  know  not.  All  was 
peace  that  summer,  and  numbers  of  people  moved  in 
from  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey,  mostly  persons 
of  no  property  or  respectability.  Toward  fall  it  ap 
peared  that  a  number  of  Pennsylvanians  met  secretly 
in  the  settlement  and  proceeded  to  elect  justices  of  the 
peace ;  and  in  September  the  Assembly  of  Pennsyl 
vania  passed  a  law  authorizing  the  President  and 
Council  to  corfimission  those  persons  so  unlawfully 
elected ;  and  they  soon  began  to  execute  the  laws  by 
suing  every  Yankee  that  they  could  by  any  means 
bring  a  charge  against,  and  very  soon  the  most  violent 
proceedings  took  place.  Men  were  imprisoned  by  the 
aid  of  the  military,  and  sundry  persons  whipped  with 
gun-rods,  and  otherwise  most  shamefully  abused.  A 
number  of  respectable  men  were  confined  in  an  old 
house  without  a  floor,  and  mud  shoe  deep.  In  cold 
weather  in  the  winter  they  were  obliged  to  lie  down 
in  the  mud  on  pain  of  being  shot.  If  three  Yankees 
were  seen  together,  they  were  sure  to  be  imprisoned 
and  otherwise  abused. 


JOURNAL   OF   CHRISTOPHER   HURLBUT.          411 

"  At  last,  as  our  situation  was  no  longer  to  be  borne, 
a  number  of  us  determined  to  draw  up  a  petition  to 
the  Legislature,  then  in  session,  stating  our  usage,  and 
begging  for  protection.  As  not  more  than  two  of  us 
dare  be  seen  together,  the  difficulty  was  to  confer  to 
gether.  Our  object  was  effected  by  going  around  and 
notifying  a  meeting  in  the  evening ;  and,  in  order  to 
prevent  suspicion,  the  meeting  was  appointed  within 
forty  rods  of  the  fort,  where  a  number  got  together  and 
darkened  the  windows,  and  then  drew  and  signed  a 
petition,  and  engaged  a  man  to  carry  it  to  Philadelphia. 
Upon  the  receipt  of  this  petition,  the  Assembly  ap 
pointed  a  committee  to  repair  to  Wyoming  and  inquire 
into  the  cause  of  the  complaint.  The  committee  came 
to  Wilkesbarre,  and  by  testimony  we  established  all 
that  we  set  forth  in  our  petition,  and  much  more.  The 
committee  returned  and  reported,  but  nothing  was 
done  to  afford  us  redress. 

"In  March  was  'the  great  ice-flood,'  which  nearly 
ruined  the  people,  drowning  their  cattle  and  horses, 
and  sweeping  away  their  houses,  as  they  were  nearly 
all  built  on  the  flats  for  safety  against  the  Indians. 
Most  of  their  breadstuffs  was  also  destroyed.  In  May, 
after  -the  ice  had  melted  away,  and  the  people  begun 
to  put  up  their  fences,  the  Pennamites,  with  the  sol 
diers,  went  through  the  settlement  in  considerable 
bodies,  and  took  all  the  good  guns,  and  the  locks  from 
others,  from  every  Yankee  who  had  one,  and  direct 
ly  after  this  they  turned  all  Yankee  families  into  the 
street,  taking  them  under  guard.  A  few  only  were 
able  to  flee  up  or  down  the  river;  all  the  rest  were 
forced  to  go  out  east  by  the  Lackawaxen.  Thus  the 
Pennamites  got  full  possession  of  the  country.  Short 
ly  after  this  the  soldiers  were  discharged,  but  many  of 


412  WYOMING. 

them  continued  in  the  country,  and  the  Pennamites 
kept  up  a  garrison  in  the  fort. 

"  The  last  of  June  the  Yankees  began  to  assemble  in 
the  woods,  in  order,  if  possible,  to  regain  their  posses 
sions.  It  should  be  remembered  that  all  along,  from 
the  first  beginning  of  the  outrages,  applications  had 
been  made  to  the  legislative,  executive,  and  judicial 
authorities  of  the  state  for  protection  and  redress,  but 
none  was  obtained.  Also  let  it  be  understood  that 
those  pretended  justices  before  referred  to  as  having 
been  unlawfully  appointed,  headed  by  Alexander  Pat 
terson,  a  man  of  considerable  abilities,  but  bold,  dar 
ing,  and  completely  unprincipled;  aided  by  D— 

M ,  insinuating,  plausible,  and  flattering,  covering 

his  enmity  by  pretended  friendship — a  most  designing 

enemy  to  the  Yankees;  and  J S ,  with  just 

information  enough  to  act  out  the  villain  without  dis 
guise,  had  no  idea  of  doing  justice  to  the  Yankees,  but 
their  object  was  to  compel  them  to  leave  the  country. 

"  About  the  15th  of  July,  a  party  of  Pennamites  and 
another  of  Yankees,  both  armed,  met  in  a  piece  of  woods 
in  Plymouth  unexpectedly  to  both  parties.  They  fired 
on  each  other ;  two  were  killed,  and  several  wounded ; 
the  Pennamites  fled,  and  were  pursued  to  the  fort ;  the 
fort  was  immediately  invested,  and  hostilities  were 
continued  for  several  days.  When  information  was 
received  that  a  party  of  men  was  coming  in  to  relieve 
the  besieged  Pennamites,  twenty -seven  Yankees  went 
out  and  met  the  party  at  Locust  Hill.  They  fired 
upon  them,  and  they  retreated  to  a  house,  and,  as  they 
appeared  sufficiently  frightened,  the  Yankees  left  them 
and  returned.  The  party  then  left  the  house  and  fled 
back.  They  had  one  killed  and  several  wounded.  Of 
the  Yankees,  only  one  slightly  wounded. 


JOURNAL  OF   CHRISTOPHER   HURLBUT.          413 

"In  the  mean  time,  several  justices  and  the  sheriff 
of  Northumberland  County  came  to  Wilkesbarre  to 
try  to  put  a  stop  to  the  fighting.  After  considerable 
negotiation,  both  parties  agreed  to  stop.  The  Penna- 
mites  remained  in  the  fort,  and  the  Yankees  returned 
to  their  deserted  homes.  In  two  or  three  days  a  loody 
of  two  or  three  hundred  men  came  in,  headed  by  the 
famous  John  Armstrong  and  a  Mr.  Boyd,  two  mem 
bers  of  the  Senate  of  Pennsylvania.  The  Pennamites, 
in  part,  pretended  to  surrender,  when  they  called  on 
the  Yankees  to  surrender,  as  they  said  they  were  de 
termined  to  disarm  both  parties,  so  that  there  should 
be  no  farther  resort  to  violence,  but  an  acknowledg 
ment  of  the  supremacy  of  the  laws.  "When  the  Yan 
kees  laid  down  their  arms  they  were  made  close  pris 
oners,  and  Pennamite  sentinels  set  to  guard  them. 
Those  who  were  at  Locust  Hill  were  sent,  under  a 
strong  guard,  being  first  ironed,  to  Easton  jail,  the 
others  to  Sunbury  ;  those  who  went  to  Sunbury  were 
speedily  admitted  to  bail,  and  returned  home ;  those 
at  Easton  were  kept  close  prisoners  five  or  six  weeks, 
when  they  broke  jail,  and  about  half  of  them  escaped ; 
the  remainder  were  kept  until  October,  when  the  Su 
preme  Court  was  held  at  Easton;  then  the  grand  jury 
found  no  bill  against  them  for  murder,  and  they  were 
discharged,  after  paying  jail  fees  and  other  expenses 
to  the  amount  of  twenty-five  dollars  each. 

"In  the  mean  time,  those  who  had  escaped,  with  a 
few  others — about  twenty — headed  by  John  Franklin, 
had  obtained  arms,  and  kept  together  until  about  the 
18th  of  October,  when  a  body  of  men  came  into  the 
settlement  and  proceeded  to  make  prisoners  of  such  as 
they  chose.  They  had  taken  seventeen  and  confined 
them  in  a  corn-house,  which  they  kept  well  guarded ; 


414  WYOMING. 

but  they  failed  to  take  Franklin  and  his  party,  who 
continually  gained  in  numbers  until  after  the  company 
returned  home.  After  this  the  Yankees  attacked  the 
fort  in  the  night,  and  killed  two  officers.  Shortly  after 
the  fort  was  evacuated,  and  all  the  Pennamites  who 
had  been  fighting  the  Yankees  were  obliged  to  leave 
the  settlement. 

"  When  they  got  out  into  the  country  they  made  a 
loud  outcry  about  the  cruelty  of  the  Yankees,  and  as 
to  how  they  were  plundered  of  all  they  possessed, 
and  by  this  means  prevailed  with  a  number  of  the  in 
habitants  of  Northumberland  County  to  petition  the 
Legislature  in  their  behalf.  The  Legislature  then  ap 
pointed  three  of  their  number  to  go  to  "Wyoming  and 
endeavor  to  put  a  stop  to  farther  disorders.  In  the 
beginning  of  May  they  came  in,  and,  after  conferring 
with  the  Yankees,  returned.  Nothing  was  done  ef 
fectually  until  the  fall  of  1786,  when  a  law  was  passed 
erecting  the  disputed  territory  into  a  county,  which 
was  called  Luzerne.  A  time  was  appointed  for  hold 
ing  an  election  for  county  officers,  with  justices  of  the 
peace.  The  election  was  held  in  July,  1787,  and  from 
that  time  law  reigned  and  peace  was  fully  restored." 


THE   UMBRELLA-TREE.  417 


XXII. 

MISCELLANEOUS  ARTICLES. 

THE    UMBRELLA-TREE.* 

THE  umbrella,  round-top,  or  signal-tree,  is  situated  on  the  mount 
ain  west  of  the  Valley,  about  four  miles  from  its  head.  It  is  of  the 
variety  Pinus  rigida,  or  pitch  pine  ;  is  about  ninety  feet  high,  and  two 
and  a  half  feet  in  diameter  at  the  base.  It  is  apparently,  at  a  dis 
tance,  on  the  summit  of  the  mountain,  and  surrounded  by  woods ;  but 
it  is  about  forty  rods  from  the  apex,  and  stands  in  the  centre  of  a  ten- 
acre  field,  on  the  estate  formerly  owned  by  Mr.  Pierce  Smith,  now 
by  the  Kingston  Coal  Company. 

My  imagination  had  pictured  the  tree  to  be  something  immense, 
and,  from  the  misconception,  I  was  somewhat  disappointed,  as  it  is  net 
as  large  as  one  would  be  led  naturally  to  suppose,  judging  of  its  ap 
pearance  at  a  distance,  its  longevity,  etc.  ;  but  it  is  more  remarkable 
for  conspicuity  of  position  than  for  size  or  height. 

Many  are  the  traditions  in  regard  to  this  old  stand-by,  and  per 
haps  nothing  in  our  early  history  is  more  vague  and  unsatisfactory 
than  the  reports  in  circulation  concerning  it.  Its  conspicuity  from 
the  east  and  northeast  made  it  a  landmark  through  the  unbroken 
wilderness  to  this  land  of  promise,  and  we  can  hardly  imagine  the 
joy  that  its  prospect  lent,  when  at  its  sight  the  weary  traveler  con 
sidered  himself  almost  home.  It  is  said  that  its  lower  branches  were 
clipped  or  hewn  off,  to  render  it  more  observable  at  a  greater  dis 
tance  ;  and  one  tradition,  or  rather  a  more  late  fiction,  says  that  they 
were  cut  off  as  a  signal  of  battle,  and  ominous  of  the  dire  fall  of  our 
little  army. 

*  Here  is  a  group  of  interesting  objects.  "  Tattle's  Creek11  passes  through  the 
culvert  which  appears  on  the  right  of  the  foreground.  The  house  partly  con 
cealed  by  the  shade  of  the  trees  is  the  veritable  house  erected  and  long  occupied  by 
Colonel  Denison,  now  occupied  by  his  grandson,  Hiram  Denison,  Esq.  Last  sea 
son— 185T— it  exchanged  its  original  red  covering  for  a  new  white  one,  and,  but  for 
its  antique  form  and  large  chimney,  would  now  exhibit  quite  a  modern  appearance. 
The  house  on  the  left  was  the  residence  of  the  late  Mrs.  Tuttle,  only  sister  of  Mr?. 
Myers.  This  is  the  spot  where  stood  the  four  block -houses  from  which  "  the  Yan 
kee  Boys11  fired  the  last  shot  at  the  Pennamites  and  killed  Captain  Bolen.  The 
road  which  crosses  the  Creek  here  is  the  old  road  on  which  the  little  army  marched 
to  attack  the  Tories  and  Indians.  The  umbrella-tree  is  seen  in  the  distance,  upon 
the  mountains  height. 

S2 


418  WYOMING. 

We  think  that  any  other  view  than  that  it  is  just  as  God  made  it 
would  rob  him  of  some  of  his  due  glory,  and  detract  from  it  much 
real  beauty,  as  being  remarkable  from  nature  rather  than  art.  This 
view  is  substantiated  by  almost  every  physical  sign,  and  the  fact  that, 
upon  close  inspection,  it  bears  no  appearance  of  having  had  its 
branches  cut  off.  It  has  some  dead  limbs,  which  show  no  sudden 
fracture,  as  would  be  the  case  if  they  had  been  hewn  off,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  extend  several  feet  from  the  shaft ;  and,  besides,  it  has  sev 
eral  large  limbs,  unperceivable  at  a  distance,  about  half  way  up.  Im 
mediately  under  the  top  there  is  a  space  of  ten  or  fifteen  feet  looking 
quite  smooth,  showing  no  abrasion  of  knife  or  hack  of  hatchet.  Its 
top  is  rather  small  for  the  shaft  to  be  compared  to  an  umbrella,  and 
looks  more  like  a  delicate  parasol  put  on  a  large  umbrella  handle. 
It  is  the  only  tree  in  a  large  field,  and,  although  the  woodman  has 
cut  down  all  around  it,  he  has  paused  with  a  praiseworthy  venera 
tion  to  humble  its  proud  crest  in  the  dust.  There  it  stands  nearly  as 
it  was  a  hundred  years  ago ;  there  it  stands  erect  as  God  made  it ; 
there  let  it  stand  till  He,  in  his  wisdom,  sees  fit  to  fell  it.  We  re 
luctantly  turned  our  back  upon  this  old  pine,  and  left  it  "  alone  in 
its  glory."  *  *  * 


PROSPECT   ROCK 

is  situated  on  the  eastern  mountain,  directly  back  of  Wilkesbarrc, 
and  about  midway  between  the  two  extremes  of  the  valley.  From 
its  prominent  position  may  be  distinctly  seen  both  sections  of  the  val 
ley,  above  and  below.  It  is  a  steep  ledge  of  light  conglomerate,  com 
posed  of  strata  four  or  five  feet  thick,  resting  at  about  an  angle  of 
forty-five  degrees  in  position.  Its  eastern  verge  is  quite  precipitous, 
showing  an  abrupt  fracture  from  the  plane  of  the  strata  below,  which 
was  caused  in  its  upheaving  to  its  present  position.  The  western 
surface  is  convex,  and  more  continuous  with  the  slope  of  the  mount 
ain.  A  few  small  pines  stand  upon  it  here  and  there,  and  dip  their 
roots  into  its  crevices,  deriving  their  nourishment  from  an  almost  im 
perceptible  and  inconceivable  source.  The  upper  section  of  the  val 
ley  of  Wyoming  appears  to  be  an  extended  plain  ;  the  lower  a  series 
of  hills,  undulating  up  higher  and  higher  until  they  reach  the  Nan- 
ticoke  Mountains.  Above,  it  seems  continuous  with  the  Lackawanna 
Valley,  and  the  gray  front  of  Crag  Campbell  marks  the  entrance  of 
the  Susquehanna ;  below  the  mountains  curve  gracefully  as  the  bow 
in  the  clouds  for  the  egress  of  the  river. 

To  get  a  proper  appreciation  of  the  view  from  this  rock,  you  should 


PROSPECT  ROCK.  419 

spend  a  night  at  one  of  the  hotels  a  short  distance  below,  arise  with 
the  sun,  with  the  mental  energies  fresh  and  unimpaired  with  the  toils 
of  ascent.  It  was  in  the  month  of  July  that  I  made  my  visit,  and  all 
nature  was  dressed  in  her  most  varied  and  pleasing  garb.  Spread 
out  beneath  were  the  fields  of  every  shade  of  green  and  of  gold. 
There  were  the  shock-dotted  fields,  where  the  farmer  had  been  gath 
ering  together  into  convenient  heaps  his  means  of  subsistence  and 
profit ;  fields  of  still  waving  grain,  interspersed  with  meads  of  fresh- 
springing  grass  from  newly-mown  hay-fields.  Black  lines  mark  the 
course  of  fences  dividing  possessions  and  fields,  showing  a  beautiful 
simile  to  the  checkered  scenes  of  life,  where  every  man  is  moving  for 
his  own  advantage.  Immediately  beneath  is  the  borough  of  Wilkes- 
barre,  with  its  small  houses  and  tiny  spires,  as  though  contrived  for 
the  habitation  of  Liliputians.  Directly  across  from  it  is  the  village 
of  Kingston,  below  which  are  the  scattered  houses  of  Plymouth,  and 
above,  toward  the  head  of  the  valley,  is  the  village  of  Wyoming,  still 
more  diminutive  in  the  distance.  Here  and  there  are  scattered 
throughout  the  country  habitations  and  public  works,  showing  the 
insignificance  of  puny  art  in  such  a  vast  area  of  beauteous  nature. 
"Oh,  pigmy  man,  how  small  thy  workings  are!  Thy  boasted  rule 
has  not  the  power  to  even  mock  at  heaven,  for  who  could  mountains 
make,  or  paint  a  scene  like  this?"  These  are  naturally  the  feelings 
of  an  observer  and  student  of  nature  when  impressed  with  the  power 
of  the  magnificent  and  sublime ;  he  pauses  in  a  reverie  of  inexpress 
ible  delight,  and  is  forced  to  admit  the  inability  of  language  to  con 
vey  his  thoughts  to  others.  This  rock  has  the  advantages  of  position 
in  presenting  to  the  view  nearly  all  parts  of  the  valley,  neither  ren 
dering  it  dim  by  too  great  distance,  nor  unpicturesque  by  being  too 
near.  A  large  area  is  here  placed  before  the  vision,  concentrated 
into  one  grand  conception,  subject  to  one  contemplation.  In  the 
west  are  the  horizon,  scalloping  hills,  giving  glimpses  here  and  there 
between  them  of  the  country  beyond.  The  Susquehanna  is  occasion 
ally  visible,  and  the  three  islands  here  seen  seem  like  "Arks  of  na 
ture's  make  floating  on  to  join  the  sea." 

There  is  another  view  from  what  is  called  the  White  Kocks,  but  a 
short  distance  ascending  to  the  right  from  the  Spring  House,  which 
has  advantages  in  rendering  some  parts  of  the  valley  still  more  per 
spicuous  than  Prospect  Rock  does,  on  account  of  their  more  jutting 
position. 

Time  had  been  "winging  us  away"  faster  than  we  were* aware  or 
wished.  The  sun  had  already  dipped  his  lower  verge  below  the 
western  mountains,  giving  their  tree-clad  summits  an  appearance  as 


HARVEY'S  XAKE.  421 

if  fringed  with  fire.  As  our  little  giddy  world  wheeled  eastward, 
leaving  the  king  of  day  gradually  sinking  from  the  horizon,  he  seem 
ed  to  kiss  the  western  hills  with  his  ruddy  lips,  and,  bidding  us  good 
night,  sank  in  a  sea  of  glory.  *  *  * 


HARVEY'S  LAKE. 

THE  following  sketch  of  a  trip  to  Harvey's  Lake  is  contributed  by 
Miss  Miranda  Myers,  of  Kingston : 

Bright  and  early,  long  before  the  purple  hill-tops  environing  Wyo 
ming  were  illuminated  by  the  rising  sun,  we  presented  ourselves  at 
the  gateway,  ready  for  a  drive  to  this  romantic  summer  retreat  some 
twelve  miles  distant. 

Passing  the  wild  scenery  of  the  Narrows,  and  through  a  beauti 
ful  rural  district,  we  inquired,  for  perhaps  the  dozenth  time  during 
our  ride,  How  far  off  is  Harvey's  Lake  ?  An  honest-faced  Hiberni 
an  answered,  "  Shure  and  you  are  right  on  it ;  and  you  have  only  to 
drive  a  bit  ahead  and  turn  into  the  lane,  and  you'll  get  there." 
Thanking  him,  we  prepared  to  follow  the  direction,  if  it  only  brought 
us  to  our  destination.  We  soon  had  the  extreme  satisfaction  of  see 
ing  the  Lake  House,  with  its  fair  proportions,  loom  up  before  us. 
As  we  drove  up,  the  accommodating  proprietor,  Mr.  Clayton,  met  us 
at  the  door,  ready  to  attend  to  all  our  wants. 

The  house  is  built  upon  a  slight  elevation  on  the  eastern  shore,  a 
few  rods  from  the  water's  edge.  It  is  large  and  commodious, 
handsomely  furnished,  and  capable  of  accommodating  a  large  number 
of  guests.  From  the  verandas,  which  extend  around  two  sides  of 
the  house,  a  magnificent  prospect  feasts  the  eye — a  scene  of  unrivaled 
and  quiet  beauty — the  calm  and  unruffled  surface  of  the  lake  spark 
ling  in  the  sunshine,  begirt  with  beautiful  hilly  woodlands.  These 
afford  covert  for  herds  of  deer  and  other  wild  game,  while  the  lake 
furnishes  an  abundance  of  the  finest  fish.  Harvey's  Lake  has  been 
resorted  to  for  hunting  and  fishing  ever  since  the  first  settlement  of 
the  country,  long  before  there  was  a  road  cut  through  the  mountains, 
the  old  hunters  tracing  their  way  through  the  dense  forests  by 
means  of  marked  trees.  It  is  said  that  the  lake  was  discovered  by 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  the  Valley  noticing  that  the  wild  ducks  flew 
very  high,  and  in  a  northerly  direction,  from  which  fact  he  concluded 
that  there  must  be  quite  a  large  body  of  water  not  far  distant.  * 

*  The  lake  derived  its  name  from  Benjamin  Harvey,  who  settled  upon  the  out 
let  below  Plymouth,  and  it  ia  supposed  by  his  descendants  that  he  was  the  first 
white  man  who  discovered  it.  The  descendants  of  Thomas  Bennet  suppose  that 


422  WYOMING. 

Below  us,  in  front  of  the  house,  a  wagon-road  winds  along  the 
shore,  and  is  soon  lost  from  sight  among  the  trees.  Looking  across 
the  lake  toward  the  west,  we  observe  a  small  clearing  with  several 
dwelling-houses ;  one  is  pointed  out  to  us  as  the  property  of  Hon. 
Warren  J.  Woodward.  Casting  our  eyes  down  along  the  shore  in 
the  direction  of  the  outlet,  through  a  gap  in  the  hills  we  behold  the 
faint  outlines  of  distant  mountains  against  the  sky,  in  fine  contrast 
with  those  nearer  by. 

At  our  left  is  the  inlet,  though,  properly  speaking,  the  lake  has 
none,  being  fed  by  springs  at  the  bottom.  A  rude,  unfinished 
bridge  crosses  the  inlet.  This  can  be  used  only  by  foot-passengers,  as 
it  is  sunken  considerably  near  the  centre. 

Having  finished  our  observations  from  the  house,  we  betake  our 
selves  to  the  boat,  a  number  being  always  in  readiness.  The  white, 
pebbly  bottom  of  the  lake  is  distinctly  visible  for  quitj  a  distance 
from  the  shore ;  but  as  we  near  the  centre  it  gradually  disappears, 
the  water  becoming  very  deep,  and  assuming  a  look  of  inky  black 
ness.  We  were  told  that  a  line  ninety  feet  in  length  had  been  sunk 
here  without  reaching  bottom. 

We  were  recalled  from  our  aquatic  expedition  to  the  house  by  the 
sounding  of  the  gong.  Here  we  found  an  elegant  dinner  awaiting 
us — fish,  flesh,  and  fowl,  served  up  in  every  possible  style,  with  veg 
etables,  tarts,  puddings,  pastry,  etc.,  in  profusion,  calculated  to  please 
even  the  most  epicurean  palate.  Dinner  over,  we  again  sallied  forth 
in  quest  of  enjoyment. 

Noticing  upon  one  of  the  pillars  of  the  lower  veranda  a  diagram 
of  the  lake,  with  the  distances  along  the  margins  given,  we  made  in 
quiries  of  Mr.  Clayton,  and  learned  that  some  scientific  gentleman, 

he  is  entitled  to  the  honor  of  the  discovery  of  this  lake,  and  that  he  was  led  to  the 
search  for  it  by  the  flight  of  flocks  of  wild  ducks.  It  is  quite  probable  that  these 
hardy  pioneers  each  made  the  discovery  in  the  same  way,  one  reaching  it  from 
the  lower  extremity  of  the  Valley,  and  the  other  from  Forty  Fort.  It  is  certain 
that  Mr.  Bennet  cut  through  the  first  bridle-path  from  Kingston  to  the  lake,  as 
that  path  is  noted  on  the  field-books  of  the  earliest  surveyors,  and  is  called  "Ben- 
net's  Path."  Andrew  Bennet,  son  of  Thomas  Bennet,  launched  the  first  canoe 
upon  the  placid  waters  of  this  lake  in  the  year  1800.  John  Bennet,  Esq.,  son  of 
Andrew  Bennet,  saya  that  the  canoe  was  made  in  the  Valley,  and  shod  with  hick 
ory  saplings,  and  drawn  over  the  mountain  by  two  horses  attached  to  it  tandem, 
and  that  he,  then  a  lad,  rode  the  leader,  and  that  his  father  led  the  way  on  foot, 
and  that  another  man  followed  and  kept  the  "  dug-out"  right  side  up.  They  ar 
rived  sufficiently  early  in  the  day  to  launch  their  craft,  and  steal  upon  a  fine  buck 
standing  in  the  edge  of  the  lake,  and  shoot  him  down.  The  canoe  was  kept  con 
cealed  at  the  head  of  the  lake  in  a  thicket  of  laurels.  The  lady  traveler  who  con 
tributed  this  article  ia  the  great-granddaughter  of  Thomas  Bennet. 


TOJSY'S   ETXDY. 


TOBY'S  CAVE. 


TOBY'S  EDDY.  425 

whose  name  we  have  forgotten,  made  an  actual  stirvey  for  the  ben 
efit  of  visitors.  We  give  it  as  it  appears  there. 

Lovely  as  the  lake  is  in  the  rich  glow  of  the  morning  sunlight, 
its  romantic  beauty  is  by  no  means  diminished  when  bathed  in  the 
glorious  coloring  of  the  afternoon  sun.  The  rippling  current  flashes 
and  sparkles,  the  wild  duck  skims  gayly  over  its  surface,  regardless 
of  the  lurking  sportsman,  and  the  splashing  oars  of  the  pleasure-boat 
keep  time  to  the  harmony  of  nature ;  every  tree  growing  upon  the 
margin  of  the  lake  has  its  counterpart  slumbering  motionless  be 
neath  the  water.  But  we  must  turn  our  backs  upon  this  scene  of  be 
witching  loveliness,  for  the  lengthening  shadows  warn  us  that  the  sun 
is  sinking  in  the  heavens,  and  we  have  yet  twelve  miles  between  us 
and  our  valley-home. 

Persons  visiting  Wyoming  should  not  fail  to  take  a  drive  to  the 
lake ;  we  are  certain  they  would  be  amply  rewarded.  Indeed,  we 
see  no  reason  why  Harvey's  Lake  may  not  become  as  fashionable  a 
resort  during  the  summer  as  the  more  crowded  watering-places,  ac 
cessible  as  it  is  from  our  cities,  within  twelve  miles  by  railroad,  and 
affording  every  facility  for  enjoyment. 


TOBY'S  EDDY. 

THIS  famous  locality  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  Toby's  Creek, 
near  Kingston  village.  The  beautiful  scenery  copied  in  the  opposite 
engraving  lies  between  Boss  Hill  and  the  river,  and  is  one  of  those 
lovely,  secluded  spots  where  one  delights  to  spend  an  hour  or  two  in 
retirement  from  the  busy  world.  Here  the  students  of  the  seminary 
hard  by  often  meet  to  shake  off  the  blues  and  recruit  their  exhausted 
energies.  Here  they  bathe,  walk,  swing,  and  exchange  pleasant 
greetings.  Here  many  a  pleasant  picnic  has  been  held,  and  glances 
have  been  exchanged  full  of  meaning,  and  ominous  of  happy  days  at 
new  homes. 

But,  alas !  progress  and  civilization  have  made  sad  ravages  upon 
this  sweet  and  beautiful  spot.  The  railroad  has  utterly  ruined  its 
beautiful  unity.  Its  jagged,  rocky  embankment,  running  through 
the  centre  of  the  little  natural  paradise,  has  broken  its  ancient  en 
chantments,  and  dispelled  the  bewitching  associations  which  clustered 
around  it.  So  goes  this  world  of  ours.  What  God  made  is  perpet 
ually  changed,  if  not  improved,  by  the  inroads  of  art  and  the  spirit 
of  the  age. 


426  WYOMING. 

TOBY'S  CAVE. 

WHAT  is  called  Toby's  Cave  is  found  in  the  hill-side  west  of  the 
Eddy.  It  is  not  deep  or  large,  but  might  once  have  constituted  a 
place  of  retreat  for  old  Toby  the  Indian,  whose  haunts  were  once 
along  the  creek  to  which  his  name  has  been  given,  and  who  planted 
corn  upon  the  flats  above.  It  is  said  by  some  of  the  old  talkers 
that  this  cave  once  extended  quite  to  the  opposite  side  of  Ross  Hill, 
the  distance  of  three  fourths  of  a  mile.  Curious  legends  of  strange 
supernatural  appearances  in  this  cave  are  told  by  an  old  gossip  still 
living,  all  of  which  may  be  doubted  without  just  exposure  to  the 
charge  of  unwarrantable  skepticism.  Stories  of  strange  sights  and 
superhuman  noises,  which  used  to  be  told  about  Toby's  Cave  by  super 
annuated  nurses,  and  believed  without  a  doubt  by  children,  are  not 
worth  repeating ;  still,  they  have  left  their  impression,  and  they  con 
tinue  to  cling  to  the  locality  with  which  they  were  originally  asso 
ciated.  Legends,  however  incredible,  often  constitute  classic  ground, 
and  give  a  sort  of  importance  to  objects  and  localities  which  other 
wise  have  little  about  them  to  render  them  noticeable.  There  are  in 
the  world  many  such  objects,  and  among  them  is  Toby's  Cave. 


SEMINARIES. 

THE  great  changes  which  have  taken  place  in  Wyoming  are  remark 
ed  in  nothing  more  clearly  than  in  the  means  and  appliances  of  edu 
cation  which  constitute  both  its  power  and  its  pride.  We  give  brief 
sketches  of  the  origin,  progress,  and  present  condition  of  the  three 
leading  institutions  of  the  Valley,  arranging  them  in  chronological 
order. 

THE   WYOMING   CONFERENCE   SEMINARY. 

This  is  a  school  for  both  sexes,  and  was  opened  September  24, 
1844.  The  opening  address  was  delivered  by  the  Rev.  J.  P.  Dur- 
bin,  D.D.  The  first  seminary  building  was  of  brick,  thirty-seven 
feet  by  seventy  feet,  and  three  stories  high.  The  cost  of  the  building 
and  fixtures,  $6089,  of  which  about  one  fourth  was  contributed  by 
Thomas  Myers,  Esq.,  of  Kingston.  The  building  for  the  accommo 
dation  of  the  ladies  and  for  a  boarding-hall  was  erected  by  Mr.  My 
ers,  and  subsequently  sold  to  the  trustees. 

The  school  opened  with  thirty  scholars,  and  the  whole  number  in 
attendance  the  first  term  was  forty-seven. 

There  were  three  teachers  :  Rev.  R.  Nelson,  A.M.,  Miss  Ruth  In- 


SEMINARIES,  427 

galls,  and  Mr.  E.  F.  Ferris.  The  patronage  continued  to  increase  for 
every  succeeding  term  until  there  arose  a  pressing  necessity  for  an 
additional  building.  In  the  winter  of  1850-51,  while  the  trustees, 
without  funds,  were  deliberating  upon  the  subject,  and  vainly  endeav 
oring  to  devise  a  plan  for  enlarging  the  buildings,  they  were  happily 
relieved  from  their  embarrassment  by  the  noble  and  generous  prop 
osition  of  one  of  their  number,  William  Swetland,  Esq.,  to  defray 
himself  all  the  expense  of  the  ejection  of  such  a  building  as  the  trus 
tees  should  deem  necessary  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  school.  Accord 
ingly,  a  building  was  erected  and  finished  in  the  fall  of  1851,  at  a 
cost  of  between  three  and  four  thousand  dollars,  and  named  "  Swet 
land  Hall." 

At  the  same  time,  Hon.  Ziba  Bennet,  of  Wilkesbarre,  donated  to 
the  institution  $1000,  to  be  expended  in  the  purchase  of  a  li 
brary,  which  was  appropriately  named  by  the  trustees  "Bennet  Li 
brary." 

Within  six  months  from  the  completion  of  "  Swetland  Hall,"  all 
the  rooms  in  the  whole  establishment  were  occupied,  and  the  trustees 
began  to  arrange  for  putting  up  an  additional  building.  They  had 
contracted  for  its  erection,  and  excavating  for  the  foundation  had  al 
ready  been  commenced,  when,  on  the  loth  of  March,  1853,  the  build 
ings  were  entirely  destroyed  by  fire,  supposed  to  have  originated  from 
a  stove  in  the  third  story. 

While  the  ruins  were  yet  smoking,  the  trustees  were  stimulated  to 
an  immediate  effort  to  rebuild  by  the  remarkable  liberality  of  Will 
iam  Swetland,  Esq.,  already  referred  to,  who,  together  with  his  son, 
Mr.  George  Swetland,  and  his  son-in-law,  Payne  Pettibone,  Esq., 
donated  to  the  institution  in  all  something  over  $8000.  They  were 
also  greatly  aided  by  the  liberal  donations  of  $1000  by  Isaac  C. 
Shoemaker,  Esq.,  of  Wyoming,  $500  by  Hon.  Urbane  Burrows,  of 
Gibson,  and  $500  by  Amos  Y.  Smith,  of  Wyoming.  The  above, 
with  other  contributions,  enabled  the  trustees  to  erect  four  buildings, 
three  of  them  being  of  brick. 

The  entire  value  of  the  whole  establishment  now  can  not  be  esti 
mated  at  less  than  $30,000. 

The  institution  has  an  experienced  and  efficient  board  of  teachers, 
a  superior  philosophical  and  chemical  apparatus,  an  extensive  library, 
and  a  valuable  cabinet.  The  Rev.  K.  Nelson  still  presides  over  the 
institution  with  great  ability  and  success. 

The  catalogue  just  issued  shows  an  attendance  of  676  students  dur 
ing  the  year.  The  success  of  this  institution  is  without  a  parallel  in 
the  state. 


428  WYOMING, 


LUZERNE    PRESBYTERIAL    INSTITUTE. 

This  institution  is  located  in  one  of  the  pleasantest  portions  of  the 
Valley,  in  the  village  of  Wyoming.  Rev.  Thomas  P.  Hunt,  so  wide 
ly  known  for  his  able  advocacy  of  the  cause  of  temperance  and  relig 
ion,  first  suggested  and  labored  for  the  establishment  of  a  literary  in 
stitution  at  this  place,  and  has  ever  been  most  earnestly  devoted  to 
its  interests  with  time  and  means.  ^  Not  less  indispensable  have 
been,  from  the  first  and  always,  the  abundant  services  and  liberal 
benefactions  of  Mr.  Thomas  R.  Atherton,  or  the  efforts  and  coun 
sels  in  its  behalf  of  Eev.  J.  D.  Mitchell,  its  first  principal  and  al 
ways  firm  friend  and  supporter,  as  well  as  those  of  others,  its  early 
and  constant,  or  more  recent  friends,  among  whom  are  the  entire 
board  of  trustees  as  at  present  constituted,  consisting  of  Rev.  T.  P. 
Hunt,  Rev.  N.  G.  Parke,  H.  Hice,  T.  F.  Atherton,  Hon.  C.  D.  Shoe 
maker,  Rev.  H.  H.  Welles,  Rev.  C.  R.  Lane,  W.  S.  Shoemaker,  Hon. 
Steuben  Jenkins,  Theodore  Strong,  E.  A.  Lawrence,  and  Joseph  P. 
Atherton,  with  Rev.  J.  Dorrance  and  James  Jenkins,  former  mem 
bers. 

The  great  aim  of  the  institution  is  to  furnish  facilities  for  a  sound 
Christian  education  of  youth.  It  is  not  sectarian  in  its  teachings, 
but  Christian,  and  invites  to  the  enjoyment  of  its  privileges  youth 
from  all  denominations  alike.  Instruction  is  given  in  all  the  English 
branches,  sciences,  mathematics,  languages,  and  ornamental  branch 
es  common  to  our  higher  seminaries,  preparatory  for  college,  for 
teaching,  or  for  the  active  duties  of  business  and  social  life.  It  has  a 
male  and  a  female  department,  a  normal  department  at  some  sea 
sons  of  the  year,  also  philosophical  and  chemical  apparatus,  and  geo 
graphical,  astronomical,  and  anatomical  maps  and  charts.  The  in 
stitute  building  is  out  of  debt,  and  will  be  enlarged  as  soon  as  the 
state  of  the  times  will  permit.  There  is  a  good  boarding-house ; 
students  also  board  in  private  families,  while  lads  and  others,  as  de 
sired  by  parents,  board  with  the  principal. 

Classes  were  first  formed  in  1849.  An  act  of  incorporation  was 
obtained  the  following  year. 

Rev.  Reuben  Lowrie,  now  a  missionary  in  China,  Rev.  C.  R.  Lane, 
now  of  Tunkhannock,  and  Rev.  P.  E.  Stevenson,  acted  as  principals 
of  the  institution  in  succession.  E.  A.  Lawrence,  A.M.,  extensively 
known  and  approved  as  a  highly  accomplished  teacher,  is  now  prin 
cipal,  and,  although  the  pressure  of  the  times  has  unfavorably  affect 
ed  the  attendance,  as  in  many  other  institutions,  the  condition  of  the 
institute  is  encouraging  and  promising.  Several  of  its  students  are 


SEMINARIES.  429 

preparing  for  the  ministry,  while  others  of  them  are  already  pro 
claiming  the  Gospel  to  a  dying  world. 

THE    WILKESBARRE    FEMALE    INSTITUTE. 

A  number  of  gentlemen,  citizens  of  the  borough  of  Wilkesbarre, 
deeply  sensible  of  the  importance  of  a  thorough  and  Christian  educa 
tion  for  their  daughters,  and  believing  that  the  female  character  re 
quires  a  system  of  instruction  and  discipline  differing  somewhat  from 
that  adopted  in  reference  to  the  other  sex,  after  consultation,  determ 
ined  upon  the  establishment  of  a  female  seminary  of  a  high  order — 
one  which  should  preclude  the  necessity  of  seeking  beyond  their  own 
bowugh  the  facilities  for  a  finished  education. 

Accordingly,  a  subscription  for  the  erection  of  a  suitable  building 
was  opened,  and  some  ten  or  twelve  thousand  dollars  raised.  The 
subscriptions,  several  of  which  are  very  liberal,  were  principally  from 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  congregation.  Of  the  whole  sum,  near 
ly  one  half  (including  recent  donations)  is  the  contribution  of  George 
M.  Hollenback. 

A  charter  for  the  contemplated  institution  was  obtained  in  the 
summer  of  1854,  during  which  year  the  seminary  edifice  was  com 
pleted.  This  is  a  neat  and  commodious  building,  three  stories  in 
height,  with  suitable  school  and  recitation  rooms,  lofty  and  well  ven 
tilated.  There  is  also  good  accommodation  in  furnished  rooms  for 
some  forty  or  fifty  boarders  under  the  same  roof  with  the  family  of 
the  principal ;  the  grounds  are  ample ;  and  the  site,  fronting  the  Su^- 
quehanna,  with  an  open  common  intervening,  is  one  of  unusual 
beauty. 

The  school  was  opened  in  October,  1854,  with  some  fifty  young 
ladies,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Joseph  Eastburn  Nassau,  since  which 
time,  though  subject  to  temporary  fluctuation,  it  has  made  encour 
aging  progress.  Quite  a  number  of  young  ladies  have  completed  the 
prescribed  course  of  study,  which  is  equally  extensive  and  thorough 
with  that  of  our  best  seminaries,  with  honor  to  themselves  and  the 
institution. 

The  average  number  of  pupils  in  actual  attendance  is  now  about 
seventy,  and  is  steadily  increasing.  The  principal,  R.  S.  Howes, 
A.M.,  who  has  had  a  successful  experience  of  sixteen  years  at  the 
head  of  select  and  high  schools,  proves  to  be  well  fitted  for  his  posi 
tion,  and  gives  to  the  trustees  and  patrons  of  the  institution  entire 
satisfaction. 

The  institute  is,  by  its  charter,  under  the  supervision  of  the, 
presbytery  of  Luzerne,  by  which  body  the  trustees  are  appointed. 


430  WYOMING. 

The  object  of  this  supervision  is  not  the  inculcating  of  sectarian  te 
nets,  nor  to  render  the  institution  an  organ  of  proselytism,  but  to  se 
cure  an  enlightened,  homogeneous,  and  salutary  religious  influence, 
with  the  hope  that  our  daughters,  while  subjected  to  thorough  men 
tal  discipline,  will  also  be  adorned  with  those  Christian  graces  which 
are  the  highest  and  loveliest  accomplishment  of  the  female  character. 


INDEX. 


Alexander,  Mrs.,  her  account  of  her  father's  death  and  mother's  escape,  111; 
character  of  her  mother,  120  ;  account  of  Mrs.  Gardner,  353. 

Armstrong,  Colonel,  comes  on  under  authority  of  Pennsylvania — gross  treachery, 
64,  217,  413. 

Bedford,  Mrs.,  character  and  parentage  of,  201 ;  her  account  of  the  Indians,  ib. ; 
of  a  mission  to  Queen  Esther,  202 ;  a  war  demonstration,  203  ;  the  battle,  204 ; 
of  the  flight  to  Middletown,  209  ;  return,  210 ;  Franklin  family,  212  ;  keeps 
house  at  Forty  Fort,  218. 

Bennet,  Thomas,  captivity  and  escape  of,  291. 

Rufus,  wonderful  escape  of,  362. 
"      Solomon,  escape  of,  160. 

Bolin,  Captain,  killed,  184. 

Bones  of  the  patriots,  377. 

Brant,  history  of,  71 ;  at  Unadilla,  73  ;  at  Oriskany,  74 ;  ravages  on  the  Mohawk, 
78,  84 ;  not  in  the  battle  of  Wyoming,  87  ;  cruelty  of,  04. 

Brockway's,  Widow,  a  fight  there,  183. 

Butler,  Colonel  Zebulon,  commands  at  the  battle,  38  ;  report  of,  41. 

"      Colonel  John,  invades  Wyoming,  38  ;  faithless  conduct,  45 ;  report  of  the 
battle,  52 ;  character  of,  96. 

Butler,  Walter  N.,  destroys  Cherry  Valley,  80;  Colonel  Stone's  apology  for,  86; 
cruelties  of,  82  ;  death,  85. 

Campbell's  Ledge,  10,  344. 

Cherry  Valley  destroyed,  81. 

Connecticut  people,  object  of,  26. 

Corey,  young,  tortured,  214. 

Decree  of  Trenton,  63. 

1  >elaware  Indians,  war,  11,  12. 

Denison,  Colonel,  came  from  Hartford,  147 ;  in  the  battle,  39 ;  remonstrates  with 
J.  Butler,  162 ;  robbed  of  his  shirt  and  hat,  163. 

Dick,  Captain,  defeated,  146. 

Esther,  Queen,  152  ;  prisoners  escape  from,  285  ;  Colonel  Stone's  apology  for,  287. 

Follett  stabbed  and  scalped,  213. 

Fortifications,  ancient,  13. 

Forts,  situation  of,  56. 

Forty  Fort  erected,  136;  strengthened,  30;  capitulation  of,  43. 

Franklin,  Colonel  John,  opposes  Colonel  Pickering,  190. 

"          Roswell,  family  of,  carried  off  by  the  Indians,  212. 

Gardner,  Richard,  351. 

Gustin,  Dr.,  carries  a  flag  of  truce,  162;  assistant  surgeon,  201,  206;  settles  in 
Carlisle,  201). 

Hammond  escapes  from  Bloody  Rock,  285. 

Hartley,  Colonel,  marches  against  the  Indians,  60. 

Ilollenback,  Colonel,  comes  to  Wyoming,  100 ;  enters  the  army,  102 ;  escapes  from 
the  battle,  106;  engages  in  grubbing,  10!) ;  returns  to  Wyoming,  110  ;  trades  in 
Canada— trip  with  John  Jacwb  Astor,  116;  followed  by  robbers,  118  ;  is  a  mag 
istrate  and  judge,  119;  character,  121;  residence,  123;  anecdote  of,  124;  reso 
lutions  of  the  court — character  by  Judge  Scott,  127  ;  votes  for  Jackson,  131. 

1  Fopkins,  Noah,  life  saved  by  a  spider,  369. 

Hurlbut,  Christopher,  journal  of,  405. 

Ice-flood,  178. 

Indians  make  preparations  for  war,  154  ;  plunder  the  people  in  the  fort,  162. 

Jenkins,  Colonel,  388  ;  capture  by  the  Indians,  391;  opposes  Colonel  1  ickering, 
394 ;  employed  by  General  Washington  as  a  guide  to  General  Sullivan,  303  :  fight* 
the  Pennsylvania  claim,  402. 

Johnson,  !-ir  William,  31. 
"        Guy,  32. 

Lackawauna,  events  at,  after  the  battle,  221 ;  flag  of  truce,  222  ;  a  singular  triumph 

lit,    225. 


INDEX. 

Lnzerne  County  organized,  398,  414. 

Planning,  Captain,  his  house  defended  by  hot  water,  141 ;  removes  to  Lackawanua 
Island,  142. 

Marcy,  Mrs.,  history  of  her  troubles,  220;  flees  across  the  mountain,  227  ;  a  child 
in  the  woods,  228  ;  reaches  her  father's,  229  ;  account  of  the  Pennamites,  230. 

Massacre  at  Wyoming,  erroneous  accounts  of,  56. 

Monument,  Wyoming,  376. 

Myers,  Mrs.,  character  by  authors,  133 ;  her  account  of  her  father's  leaving  Rhode 
Island,  135 ;  coming  to  the  Delaware,  ib. ;  visiting  Wyoming,  130 ;  removing 
his  family,  137  ;  his  imprisonment,  143 ;  hard  toiling,  148 ;  affecting  incident, 
151 ;  the  battle,  156 ;  separation  of  the  family,  161 ;  goes  to  Sunbury,  167 ; 
crosses  the  mountain,  ib. ;  spends  two  years  in  the  east,  171 ;  returns  to  Wyo 
ming,  172 ;  usefulness,  173  ;  account  of  the  death  of  Satterlee,  183 ;  married, 
191 ;  subsequent  history,  151). 

M'Allum,  captivity  of  Daniel,  235. 

Nanticoke  Indians,  11. 

Northern  border  wars,  31. 

Ogden,  Captain  Amos,  heads  the  Pennamites,  139  :  repulsed,  145. 
"        Nathan,  killed,  140. 
"        David,  attempts  the  life  of  T.  Bennet,  144  ;  drowns  Satterlee,  183. 

Pencil  shot  by  his  brother,  371. 

Pennamite  and  Yankee  wars,  20,  26,  180,  184,  215,  410. 

Pennsylvania,  policy  of  the  proprietors  of,  19  ;  lease  Wyoming,  25. 

Pickering,  Colonel,  190,  304,  395,  399. 

Pike,  Abram,  304. 

Plunket,  Colonel,  expedition  of,  149,  215. 

Plymouth  Company,  21. 

Prospect  Rock,  418. 

Ransom,  Colonel  George  P.,  captivity,  317  ;  whipped,  320  ;  taken  to  Prisoners'  Isl 
and,  321 ;  escapes,  322  ;  great  sufferings  of,  324;  marries  and  settles,  326;  an 
assault  and  battery,  327. 

Rogers,  Jonah,  captivity  and  escape  of,  304. 

Schuyler,  Fort,  invested,  33 ;  siege  of,  raised,  36. 

Seminaries,  426. 

Seybolt,  Mrs.,  her  story  of  the  battle,  221. 

Shawanese  Indians,  11. 

Slocum,  Frances,  captivity,  239  ;  her  father  killed,  243  ;  family  seek  for  her,  244 ; 
is  discovered,  248  ;  visited  by  her  brothers,  255  ;  second  visit,  264;  portrait,  267  ; 
her  story,  274 ;  act  of  Congress,  281 ;  last  days  of,  282. 

Smith,  Dr.  W.  Hooker,  181,  201,  206,  219. 

Speedy,  William,  released  from  prison,  147. 

Sullivan,  General,  expedition  of,  61;  leaves  a  garrison  in  W  ilkesbarre,  173. 

Susquehanna  Company,  22 ;  purchase  of  the  Indians,  23  ;  send  on  forty  pio 
neers,  25. 

Button,  Esquire,  settled  in  Wyoming,  101 ;  visits  Queen  Esther,  202  ;  flees  down 
the  river,  207 ;  builds  a  mill,  210. 

Toby's  Eddy  and  Cave,  425,  426. 

Tories,  cruelties  of,  46. 

Umbrella-tree,  417. 

Van  Campen,  Moses,  304. 

Westmoreland,  town  of,  27  ;  town  meeting  of,  28 ;  erected  into  a  county,  29  ;  com 
panies  of,  organized,  29. 

Wyoming,  name,  9  ;  visited  by  New  England  people,  14 ;  first  settlement,  24 ;  lives 
lost  in,  26. 

Zinzendorf,  Count,  14. 


THE   END. 


U.C.BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


